A Rather Strange First Encounter
by MarauderMooney
Summary: Complete An alternate universe with absolutely no connection to the show. The first time our favorite due met in honor of today's date (3-6-03) which is the 11th anniversary to 3-6-92.
1. A Rather Strange First Encounter

Title: "A Rather Strange First Encounter"  
  
Author: Jerome Mullins, sellgju@student.alvernia.edu  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Date: 6 March, 2003  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own them, although I would like to. Anyone at the 1013 want to offer a trade? My wife makes great brownies, we'll start the negotiations there. How about it?  
  
Archiving: I would be a very happy boy if you decided to do so, just let me know so I can tell all my Beta readers where to look.  
  
Feedback: All are welcome no matter the nature (good, bad or ugly).  
  
Author's Notes: This is an alternate universe where Fox Mulder and Dana Scully did not meet on March 6, 1992 (notice the date I wrote this, not an accident). They met in their youth. All for laughs and a little "fluff" as many have described my past postings. Hope you enjoy this for the fun of it. This is my first X-Files fan fiction where the characters do not jump into the sack right away. Even more astounding is that there may not be any lovin' at all. Not at this point anyway.  
  
* * *  
  
"Welcome, Dana. How was your trip?" a softly, feminine British voice asked her. She was a tall girl with a petite frame and long brown hair. Her brown eyes sparkled in the afternoon sun.  
  
"Long." Dana Scully replied. She was tired and had fallen asleep in the terminal.  
  
"Sorry about the wait, the traffic along the Whitehall was atrocious. Were you waiting long?"  
  
"No," she said sitting up in her chair. "I couldn't sleep on the plane and now with the time difference."  
  
"Yes, it must feel like a great deal later than normal."  
  
"What time is it by the way?" Dana got out of her seat and picked up her carry-on baggage.  
  
"It is three in the afternoon here."  
  
Dana looked at her watch. "And it's nine in the morning there," she wiped the sleep from her eyes. "I left Chicago early this morning."  
  
"Don't even attempt to figure the math, you'll run yourself ragged. We have another hour's drive, more or less, until we reach Oxford. Care for something to eat?"  
  
Dana nodded and followed her friend in the food court. They ate a light lunch and were off on their way towards Oxford University.  
  
Despite her exhaustion and want of sleep, Dana was thrilled to be in England. For her good grades and commitment to her studies, both her parents thought that they should reward their daughter with a trip to a place she had always wanted to visit. She had made friends with her hostess, Grace Harrington, back in her young school days. Her seventh grade geography teacher had assigned the students to compose a letter to children of the same age in England. By the luck of the draw, Grace and Dana had selected each other's letters and a friendship was instantly forged. Both were middle children in a family of four children. Both had an interest in Medicine and in Criminal Justice. And both were equally devoted to the symphony.  
  
Dana had been hostess to Grace's visit to the United States the year before. They had visited Baltimore along with Dana's father who had thoughts of transferring to Maryland. Now it was Grace's turn to return the favor for her American friend.  
  
Dana's eyes widened at the spectacle that is Piccadilly Circus, the post cards Grace had sent her did not do it justice.  
  
"This is wonderful."  
  
"Wait until you get to the university. You're father could not have picked a better time for your visit, the summer months here are as perfect as your spring time."  
  
Almost an hour had passed by, the girls were lost in their talks of schoolwork and boys. Now a senior in high school, Dana had many questions as to the new challenges that awaited her in the university level.  
  
"I can't imagine that the American universities would be any different than ours, in the work at least. Studying is hard work and you must be committed to it, otherwise it is easy to lose track of the time in frivolous ventures."  
  
Another half hour and they turned right from Banbury on to Denterbery then left on to Woodstock and other right on to Observatory St. Left onto Walton and another left into Green College. Oxford at last. They pulled into Grace's parking space in front of the residence hall. Dana followed Grace with her luggage, as she was lead inside the residence building.  
  
"Home sweet home." Grace said merrily. "We shall be sharing a room with my flat mate, she'll be in and out during your visit. More than likely she'll be spending most of her time at her job in London."  
  
"Do many students live here?" she looked up and down the hallways.  
  
"Yes, although the space is limited and many students live off the campus. But those who remain here are those who have a lot of classes and need access to the college library more often then they do their own room. You'll meet some of the nice chaps that live here, by the way."  
  
"The last thing in the world I need is to meet another man." Dana laid her bag on the extra bed in the room.  
  
"I wasn't implying that you were in need of establishing a lifelong commitment while you were here with me, Dana." Grace said suggestively.  
  
Dana smiled and shook her head.  
  
"Don't worry about being too tidy here, this is supposed to be your vacation."  
  
"Educational vacation," Dana corrected. "Dad said I could be here as long as I was leaning something."  
  
"Well bloody hell, where's the fun in all of that? You'll learn how to unwind, and you'll learn how to keep a bloody secret." Grace held up a finger. "You repeat any of the events that I shall be dragging you into and it will be your neck."  
  
Dana sat down, suddenly she felt all the exhaustion of the last few hours build up and weigh her down. She yawned deeply.  
  
"First, is it nap time?"  
  
"For you it is, I'll be stepping out to get us some food. I shall also go and ask Maggie to drop in and check on you, you'd like her, she's an American."  
  
Dana nodded and lied back on the bed and quickly fell asleep.  
  
* * *  
  
When she awoke, she noticed a young woman sitting at Grace's desk. She was writing in a notebook and turned to smile at her.  
  
"Howdy there, you must be Dana."  
  
"You must be Maggie," Dana was assuming but the American accent it could be none other.  
  
"You've been out for a while now, Grace went shopping and had to get something else for your stay. How did you like the drive from London up here?"  
  
"Beautiful scenery, you study here?"  
  
"Yes, behavioral science. Working on my B. S. in Psychology. Grace tells me you're interested in science and medicine."  
  
Dana sat up and wiped the sleep from her eyes. "Yes, very much so. I was gunning for Pre-Med at Berkley."  
  
"Not going to give Oxford a shot?"  
  
"I applied, they said they were filled with American applications and had reached their limit." Dana said bashfully.  
  
"You have to apply early, Fox and I both applied in our junior year along with the promise of a high grade point average during our last year. Fox was no problem, I almost didn't make it in."  
  
"Fox?"  
  
"Fox Mulder, you'll be meeting him later tonight, hopefully if his classes don't run late. We both came from Massachusetts. Where are you from?"  
  
"San Diego."  
  
"California girl, you and Fox will hit it off very well."  
  
"He likes California?"  
  
"Absolutely, he was even thinking of going to the University of California before he got accepted into Oxford. I'm sure the two of you will hit it off. Is there anything I can get you? Water?"  
  
"Please," Dana nodded.  
  
Maggie headed into the kitchen to pour a glass of water. She was the same height as Dana, with long red hair that flowed down to her shoulders. She had a thin face but was very beautiful. Dana had finally passed her "awkward" stage and was becoming a beauty herself. Although if one had asked the guys at her high school, all would attest that Dana Scully never had an awkward day in her life, although she was a bit of an Ice Queen. Not on this trip though. She had resolved that this trip was all about fun, she wasn't going to freeze over on anyone.  
  
"So you're from Massachusetts?"  
  
"Yes, from West Tisbury. Do you know where that is?" she handed Dana a glass of water.  
  
"No, I'm afraid I don't. I'm assuming near Boston."  
  
"It's south of Boston, on the island of Martha's Vineyard. Where do you hail from in San Diego?"  
  
"The harbor at the Naval base. My father's in the Navy."  
  
"Mine was too, he was stationed in D. C. for a while and then moved to West Tisbury after his time was up."  
  
"Did you live in D. C.?"  
  
"For a while, only for a couple of years."  
  
"I've always wanted to live there."  
  
"Wanted to live where?" Grace entered the room with a bag full of groceries.  
  
"Washington, D. C. What took you three hours?" Maggie took the groceries from her.  
  
"Bloody traffic, and these are for you." Grace handed Dana a bag full of movies. "Rented these this afternoon, I remember that you mentioned them in a letter you sent me once."  
  
"Thank you." She smiled as she looked through the selected titles.  
  
"Your VCR is still on the blink, where are we going to watch them?" Maggie asked from the kitchen.  
  
"I talked to Fox, he said he'll let us over to his room as long as we let him stay." She looked down to Dana. "Maggie told you about Fox, yes?"  
  
"Yeah, she mentioned him. You're both friends of his?"  
  
"Maggie has been his friend since high school. I shared a literature class with him a year ago. Very smart man, strange sense of humor though."  
  
"Strange?"  
  
"You'll find out." Maggie winked at her.  
  
* * *  
  
The girls headed out to the local pub and ordered a round of burgers and chips. An extra meal was ordered for the impending arrival of the much- anticipated Fox Mulder.  
  
"He'll be starving," Maggie said as she ordered another burger for herself and for her missing comrade.  
  
"What does he study, this mystery man of yours?"  
  
"He's studying Psychology, behavioral science. He's quite good at it too, he reads people very well." Maggie nodded.  
  
"What's he like?"  
  
"Quiet mostly, very hard working, very studious. Hardly makes a peep at times and at other times he'll babble all night."  
  
"Only when he's drunk or nervous." Maggie corrected.  
  
"He's tall. Very handsome. Cute ass. Definitely someone I want to introduce you to," Grace nudged her.  
  
"I'm not interested in anymore romance, not now and certainly not with this-" her words fell short as she suddenly beheld a tall, strong figure approaching them. He smiled and shyly waved to others who greeted him in the pub and ordered a round of beers from the publican before joining them at the table. "Hoo boy." She muttered.  
  
"Howdy all, Professor Perkins was giving us a lecture and he fell asleep again." He sat down and smiled at the two burgers at his place. "Who do owe a thanks to?" He looked at them and then noticed Dana. "Hello there, I'm sorry we haven't been formally introduced."  
  
"Fox, this is Dana Scully. Dana, meet Fox Mulder."  
  
"So you're the American friend Grace goes on and on about. Pleasure to finally meet you." He shook her hand gently.  
  
"Nice to meet you too," she smiled. "Grace tells me you're a Psychology major."  
  
"Trying to be is the correct term." He laughed.  
  
"Yes, all that trying must be so hard when all you have to show for it is a stupid bloody 'A.' Don't let him fool you, Dana, he's quite brilliant. But weird non the less."  
  
Mulder smiled and wolfed down one of his burgers. The pitcher of ale arrived and he chugged his mug down without spilling a drop.  
  
"Hungry?" Maggie offered him another burger.  
  
"I haven't eaten since last night, I've been working on that paper for Williams." He took out his notes and showed her his paper thus far. "I've found much of the research required but I'm still waiting for a few other books."  
  
"What is your thesis by the way?" Maggie looked through the notes as he ate.  
  
"I'm working on several cases of American serial killers and looking for similarities in physical defects." He pointed to one case study. "Basic premise is that not all serial killers walk around with a big nasty scar or a homicidal look on their face. Also I'm looking to compare the psychological test results each of these killers took in prison to see if there is a correlation in regards to the colors they chose."  
  
"That color test thing, you think there might be a connection between someone's homicidal demeanor and the colors they select?" Maggie was impressed.  
  
"I don't know, just a theory I've been looking at for a while." He ran his muscular hand through his shortly cropped brown hair. "They have done research with abused children, especially when the occult is involved and the children have a tendency to select either black or red in association to the parent that is suspected of the abuse."  
  
"No discussing work at the dinner table kids," Grace slapped another burger in front of Mulder.  
  
"Sorry." He nodded to Dana and her host.  
  
"Don't be, sounds rather interesting." Dana smiled.  
  
"What are you studying Dana?"  
  
"I'm hoping to study Medicine at Berkley in the following year."  
  
"You're still in high school? Forgive me, I mistook you for being a little older. Where are you from in the U. S.?"  
  
"California, San Diego."  
  
"Great place," Mulder nodded. "I haven't been back there since." he looked quickly to Maggie.  
  
"Freshmen year of high school, we all took that trip over with Quinn and his mother."  
  
"Right," Mulder nodded. "Yes, I remember. I should really get back there."  
  
"You should really get back home, your mother has been asking to see you for months now." Grace scolded him.  
  
"You've been talking to my mother? Since when?"  
  
"She called me thinking it was *your* room. I wonder where she got that idea."  
  
Mulder fell silent and stuffed his mouth with food to prevent him for explaining himself. Maggie and Dana laughed as Grace flung some chips towards him.  
  
"You have been studying for that physics test right?" Maggie asked.  
  
Mulder nodded.  
  
"Cracking the books have you?" Grace smiled, anticipating Mulder's next move.  
  
Without disappointment, Mulder took one of his books from his bag and flung it towards the wall behind her. The book fell on the table, spine broken and open to one page. There were pen and highlight markings covering the page with his handwriting scribbled in the margins. He pointed to the page and nodded.  
  
"One thing you should consider with him, Dana, is that sooner or later there will be a book abused and tortured by this man." Grace pointed guiltily to Mulder who pleaded innocence with his eyes.  
  
Dana laughed and Maggie ordered them another round of burgers and chips.  
  
* * *  
  
Nope, this is not the end. It's snowing outside and I have nothing to do so I thought I would type this up and post it. There is more coming. eventually. Let me know what you think so far. 


	2. Who Would Have Thought

Chapter 2: "Who Would Have Thought?"  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own them. Don't both suing me, I have no money. It's not worth it anyway.  
  
* * *  
  
Fox Mulder held the door open for Grace, Maggie and Dana as they exited the bar. They headed back to the dormitory on foot as they continued to chat.  
  
"Dana, what do you plan to do after college with a degree in forensics?" Fox came up along side of her. "Going to be a doctor?"  
  
"Depends if you're asking me or my parents," Dana's smile disappeared.  
  
"You too?" Maggie turned around. "My God, if my parents had my way I would have been married with four children by now." She took Fox's arm.  
  
"My father would have wanted me to remain at the bookstore in Kensington," Grace nodded. "My mother would have wanted me to be the Queen of England."  
  
"Marry Gnarly Charlie?" Maggie laughed. "Prince Edward is the younger one, but he doesn't have a shot at the crown."  
  
"What about you?" Dana turned to Fox. "What do your parents want you to do?"  
  
"I'm sure my mother would want me to be a lawyer, doctor, whatever. My father and I haven't spoken, really spoken to each other, since high school graduation. I'm not even sure that he would care what I did with my life."  
  
"His parents are divorced," Maggie said quietly to Dana. "They hardly speak to each other much less their own son."  
  
"Sorry to hear that." She said solemnly.  
  
"Thank you," Fox said softly. "I came here to get away from it all, the fighting." He sighed.  
  
"Eventually you're going to have to talk to them some time, I can't keep telling her that you're out when I pick up." Grace said. "She already thinks that we're having an affair."  
  
"An affair?" Fox laughed. "No, no more romance for me. Not after Phoebe."  
  
"She still asks about you, I see her in the library every once in a great while." Maggie sighs. "In fact, that's all she talks to me about. 'Where's Fox? Why hasn't he called? Please do tell him that I'm ever so sorry.'" she said in a mocking British accent.  
  
"You haven't spoken to her since it happened?" Grace asked.  
  
Fox nodded. "Not since that night. Can we talk about something else? I'm starting to feel uncomfortable."  
  
"Sorry, Fox." Maggie leaned closer to Dana's ear. "I'll tell you all about it later."  
  
"Where the hell are we off to?" Grace stopped in the courtyard in front of the tower on campus near the library.  
  
Fox checked his watch in the faint moonlit night. "It's not even nine- thirty. If you guys wanted to watch a movie, you can come back to my room."  
  
"Don't you have to study for that human diversity exam tomorrow?" Maggie walked closer to him.  
  
Fox shrugged. "I can always study later tonight, the exam doesn't start until one so I can work straight through lunch after my Greek poetry class."  
  
"Priorities, Fox. Remember you said you wanted to work on them," Grace scolded.  
  
"I think Doug just rented All the President's Men from the video store."  
  
"I call the sofa!" Maggie said as she ran towards the dorms.  
  
* * *  
  
Dana was having a good time, she had no problem admitting that. Normally she wouldn't dare say such a thing, but this was different. She was having fun on her own. Away from her parents and her siblings. Away from the impending school year and the worries of starting her senior year of high school. She was free and clear of any responsibilities here, not that she would ever admit that to her own mother and father upon her return.  
  
"How was your trip dear?" her father would ask. "Get a chance to have some fun in between all that research?"  
  
"Yeah, Dad, Research. met some new people. met a guy. kind of cute actually. He's an American."  
  
Dana stopped herself and looked over to Mulder who had retreated to his desk in order to prepare himself for the following day's exam. Maggie and Grace were wrapped deep within the movie to notice Dana's staring at him. In fact, she was so enthralled herself that she didn't notice that she was looking at him for quite sometime.  
  
She was embarrassed and quickly looked to the movie before he noticed her gaze.  
  
It had been a month since her break-up with John Dalton, the boy she had been dating for almost an entire year. They had first met when being assigned study partners in their CCD class. John lived only a few blocks away from her house and would come over to see her brother, Charlie, even though they were not the greatest of friends. While in Chemistry class, their teacher pared them up together for the unknowns assignment and he asked her out on a date that day. She said yes for some reason, something she no longer understands or remembers. Had someone asked her, she probably couldn't explain why she decided to be with him in the first place.  
  
Charlie had always warned her about him, to just stay away from him. As he had put it, "there was something wrong about that kid." Charlie was right, John had no soul. He wasn't a complete monster or anything, he didn't enjoy torturing small animals for the hell of it or anything like that. No, there was just something lacking in John. He didn't really care for anyone except for himself, and he would remind people of that fact. He only wanted what was best for him. Dana noticed that a few months into their relationship but thought that it might be just a phase he was going through. It wasn't.  
  
Half way through their junior year, she was spending less and less time with him, her grades had become more important than anything else. John wasn't happy. He started coming over more and more often, on purpose, to keep Dana from her studies. Fortunately for her, her mother got wise to the situation and would not allow him entrance as long as Dana was working on her assignments.  
  
Their last month together was the most explosive, John was starting to criticize Dana for her devotion to her work. He started to put her down and demand her obedience or he would leave her. Thinking quickly, quicker than John thought her possible of, Dana left him. She didn't muddy the waters or even pretend to be hurt by their break-up, she said it plain and simple to him that she no longer wanted to be around him.  
  
"Don't come around the house, no one will welcome you. Don't call me, I won't answer if I know it's from you. Don't bother me or else I will be forced to use violence." She tapped her foot on that last note. She was serious.  
  
"Dana, Dana," John laughed at her. "You're only a girl, what could you possible do to me?"  
  
Without a second thought, Dana punched him in the gut just like her older brother Bill had shown her. John fell to the ground in an instant, she then elbowed the back of his neck. The wind escaped his lungs even faster than he had fallen, the force landed him on the ground, sprawled at her feet. Dana stood over him, fists clenched, ready to strike again. John didn't dare. Their last month of school, he hadn't even so much as breathed in her direction, let alone bother her.  
  
After that failed "romance," she had vowed not to even bother with men again. Yet, here she was, thinking of another man.  
  
Fox Mulder was four years older, in college, more than that, in college in England. The likelihood of her even seeing him again after she returned to the United States was moot. But there was something very attractive about this man. He was six-foot tall, muscular, short brown hair, hazel-green eyes, well educated, obviously intelligent, mature.  
  
Dana looked back to Fox at his desk, he sat hunched over a notebook writing. With his other hand he reached for one of his books and threw it against the wall. The book's spine cracked, he looked over and flipped a few pages before he found the one he was aiming for and went back to writing.  
  
He may not be that mature, Dana noted to herself, but he is very attractive.  
  
"You'll have to get used to that," Maggie whispered in her ear. "Textbooks are not his favorite things."  
  
"Hence the throwing," Dana nodded turning back to the movie.  
  
"'Cracking,'" Grace corrected her. "We refer to it as 'cracking.' Throwing is something different, that's when he opens his window and literally throws the book out the window into the courtyard."  
  
"Have you really done that?" Dana looked over to him, now wanting him to notice her.  
  
"Just once, it was an algebra book. I hate algebra, ask Maggie."  
  
"Last day of class his first semester here, he came back into the room and didn't even bother to take off his coat. He put his bag on the desk, took his algebra book and threw it right of the window. It was raining that day, the book was washed to pieces."  
  
"It was done as an example to the others," he gestured to his large stack of textbook near the windowsill. "If they piss me off, out they go."  
  
"You can return your books to the bookstore can't you? Don't they buy back used texts?"  
  
"Only if the course is being offered again, and if the book is in fair shape. Mine wasn't." Fox shook his head.  
  
"Let me guess, from all that 'book cracking' you did?"  
  
"A book isn't worth reading if you can't crack it." Fox said seriously to her before turning back to his studies. "You should keep that in mind when you start studying at. where are you going again?"  
  
"Berkley." Dana nodded.  
  
"Keep that in mind when you start at Berkley. If you really want to have fun, you should try that right there in the bookstore."  
  
"When are you allowed back in the bookstore again?" Grace looked over her shoulder to him.  
  
"He didn't tell you? Fox was actually hired to work there last week." Maggie chimed in.  
  
"You didn't tell me?" Grace gasped.  
  
"Someone's in trouble." Dana laughed.  
  
Fox hid his face with a notebook as Grace flung a pillow at him.  
  
"It's no big deal, Grace. Nothing worth mentioning."  
  
"Nothing worth mentioning?" Grace stood up and walked over behind him. "When one of us gets a car so we can all get off campus for a while, that is worth mentioning. When one of us gets a good mark, that is worth mentioning. When one of us gets a job, even if it's on campus, where they can. This is a paying job, yes?" Fox nodded. "Where they can be paid, have money to rent a car to get off campus for a while, that is worth mentioning!"  
  
"I'll bare that in mind next time." He nodded.  
  
Grace then picked up one of his textbooks and slapped him back with it.  
  
"That, Dana, is the third book verb, 'beating.' Grace came up with that one." Maggie whispered to her.  
  
* * *  
  
Dana lay awake in Grace's dorm room. There was too much Fox Mulder on her mind. Who would have ever though that she would come to England to escape love and find it? Upon the realization that she was in love again, Dana only had one thing to say to encourage herself:  
  
"Idiot."  
  
* * *  
  
That's it for Chapter 2. More coming, stay tuned. Thanks to all who have written in their feedback thus far. I hope more start reading. 


	3. Lonely Hearts Club

Title: "A Rather Strange First Encounter"  
  
Chapter 3: "Lonely Hearts Club"  
  
Author: Jerome Mullins  
  
Disclaimer, Summary and Rating: See previous chapters.  
  
* * *  
  
Dana Scully had not slept well that night. She knew she was exhausted from the journey and the major time difference between Chicago and Oxford. Her mind and body screamed for rest, but she didn't listen. She was hard on herself for doing the one thing she knew to be a mistake. She had fallen in love. That in of itself was not the worst part, but the fact that she had fallen in love with a man she knew she might never see again made her heart sink. It didn't bother her that he was four years her senior, or that he was in college. But the fact that he was studying in England made the idea of a long-distance relationship out of the question.  
  
What really put Dana in a dilemma was the fact that she didn't want to fall in love in the first place. And yet, here she was, in England, away from her parents, and in love. with Fox Mulder.  
  
She found it extremely hard to concentrate that morning at breakfast. Grace and Maggie lead her down to the dining hall where they gave their suggestions as to what foods were edible and what should be avoided. The three of them settled on toast, a fruit cup and tea.  
  
"It's hard to ruin a cup of tea, especially in England." Maggie explained. "You all right, Dana? You seem a bit distracted."  
  
"I'm fine." She lied with a weak smile.  
  
Maggie stared at her for a moment and looked at Grace who was sensing the same thing as Maggie. Dana shifted uncomfortably in her seat and quietly turned her attention to her meal.  
  
"Something's definitely wrong," Grace said breaking an awkward moment of silence. "Could it be that she misses home?"  
  
"No." Maggie shook her head slowly. "I've seen this troubled look before, it isn't something about home."  
  
"It's nothing." Dana shook her head.  
  
"Oh, it's certainly something, deary." Grace narrowed her eyes. "Is it something about your visit here? Something about one of us?"  
  
Dana said nothing.  
  
"Fox!" Maggie suddenly shouted.  
  
Dana slumped in her seat and tried to hide her blushing face.  
  
"Fox! Over here!" Grace got out of her chair and waved to Fox Mulder who had just entered the dinning hall. He was carrying a stack of books and set them down in front of the empty seat next to Dana. She looked up to him and then quickly looked away.  
  
"Good morning, all." He said quietly. "I trust you had fun last night."  
  
"Yes, thanks again for the invitation. Hope you weren't in trouble with your hall monitor." Maggie handed him her fruit cup.  
  
Fox took the cup and picked out the pineapples with his fingers and quickly ate them before handing the cup back to her.  
  
"Thomas could care less about who's there at night, especially girls." He shrugged. "Besides, he didn't come in last night until well after you left." He then noticed Dana's blushing cheeks and he looked back to the other two. "Am I interrupting something, ladies?"  
  
"No, not at all." Maggie shook her head.  
  
"We're trying to read Dana's mind, see what's bothering her."  
  
"There's nothing wrong," Dana lied again. "I was just thinking."  
  
"Yes, but about what?" Maggie leaned closer to her. "A boy?"  
  
"This is where I make my exit," Fox stood and gathered his books.  
  
"You always have to run off somewhere," Grace protested. "You should get some food and come back to sit with us. Sacrifice your reputation for always bursting full of energy and just sit for a while. Chat with some old friends, and a new one." She gestured to Dana whose face was now a bright crimson.  
  
"Thank you, but I know better." Fox shook his head. "Now, you're picking on Dana and trying to pry information about boys from her. But later you'll be focusing all your energy on me and trying to get into my mind." He shook his head.  
  
"I promise, I won't try and get into your mind." Grace held up her hand.  
  
"However, she can't promise not to try to get into your pants." Maggie said.  
  
Grace slapped Maggie's arm and Fox rolled his eyes.  
  
"As much as I would _love_ for you to do so," he said sarcastically. "I do have an appointment with Dr. Graham in the English department. You'll just have to plot getting into my pants without my presence."  
  
He bowed to them slightly and headed in the opposite direction. He then stopped and came back to their table. Picked up the books from the table and cleared his throat.  
  
"Just for the record, ladies, I have no intention of sleep with any of you. Nothing personal, it just isn't on my list of priorities here in England. Good day to you all." He bowed again and hurried out of the dinning hall.  
  
Maggie watched him leave and turned back to Dana. "Behold, Dana, there goes His Majesty, King of the Broken Hearted."  
  
Regaining her composure and happy to no longer be the subject of attention, Dana looked to Maggie curiously. "Why? What happened to him?"  
  
"Phoebe Green." Grace said finishing her toast. "They broke-up about a month ago."  
  
"Bad relationship I take it?"  
  
"Very, she was seeing other men on the side because of Fox's 'principles.'" Maggie said. "He wouldn't sleep with her. Not right away, at least. And he was more interested in actually having a relationship rather than just jumping her every chance he got."  
  
"That's not the reason why she was seeing other guys," Grace shook her head.  
  
"I'm just reporting what I observed." Maggie said calmly.  
  
"He was too busy, which you can plainly see," she gestured to the door where he had exited. "He's constantly working on his degree and in his classes. He's most likely going to be Valedictorian of our class. Not surprising, if you ask me."  
  
"The man is brilliant," Maggie nodded.  
  
"He swore off relationships?" Dana asked.  
  
"Unfortunately, yes." Grace nodded. "I wish he would change his mind, though."  
  
"Yeah, but after being with you for a week, he would swear off women for good. Probably become a priest." Maggie teased.  
  
Grace slapped at Maggie again.  
  
"So he's not interested in relationships," Dana said changing the topic again.  
  
"That's right." Maggie nodded. She paused for a moment, then her eyes widened. "That's what's wrong, isn't it?"  
  
"No." Dana shook her head and quickly looked away.  
  
"No, that _is_ it." Maggie leaned closer to her and smiled. "You like him, don't you?"  
  
"Not at all." Dana lied again.  
  
"Did you really fall for him?" Grace was amused. "You just met him yesterday."  
  
Dana sighed loudly. "I didn't plan for it to happen."  
  
"You can't plan what's written in the stars," Grace teased. "Welcome to the club."  
  
Dana looked at both of them. "You too?"  
  
"Completely and hopelessly." Maggie nodded. "He's just so sweet."  
  
"And very handsome." Grace smiled brightly.  
  
"I don't want to talk about this." Dana shook her head.  
  
"Oh, yes. That's right." Grace nodded. "Dana swore off romance too, she had a rather nasty break-up herself about a year ago. She doesn't want to have anything to do with men."  
  
"That includes talking about them," she said firmly.  
  
"I see." Maggie nodded and sipped her tea. She then leaned closer to Dana. "It happened last night, didn't it?"  
  
"The book cracking thing got me too," Grace winked at her.  
  
Dana grunted angrily and ignored them. They finished their breakfast in silence.  
  
"What do you intend to do about it?" Maggie asked her while they were walking back to their dorm.  
  
"Why do I have to do anything about it?" Dana eyed her suspiciously. "You've known him longer than I have, why don't you do something? I'm going back home in five days."  
  
"That's precisely why you should do something." Maggie said. "You might never see him again, we have two more years with him. We'll get another chance."  
  
"And you own him, do you?" Grace folded her arms in front of her chest. "You can give him away freely? He has no say in what happens in his life?"  
  
"I simply meant that Dana doesn't have that much time, if she wants to be with him, she should make her move."  
  
"I thought we agreed we weren't going to talk about this." Dana grumbled.  
  
"No, _you_ said you didn't want to talk out it. We never agreed." Grace corrected her. "And Maggie and I were arguing between each other."  
  
"Well then, why don't _you_ go after him?" Maggie challenged her.  
  
"I tried, two days ago. He had no interest. What about you?"  
  
"We've been friends for so long, I don't think he would believe that I'm in love with him."  
  
"Shouldn't that be a good starting point?" Dana stopped and turned to face her. "If you fall in love with your best friend, isn't that the best place to start in a relationship?"  
  
"Not if one isn't in love with the other." Maggie briefly smiled, but it could not mask the pain on her face.  
  
"You never asked if he loved you or not," Grace said coldly. "How do you know?"  
  
Maggie shrugged and continued walking.  
  
"If neither of you feel like you have a chance with him, what hope is there for me? Besides, I leave in a week, less than that, I'll never see him again. Long distance relationships don't work."  
  
"You could always try to enroll here in another year," Grace shrugged.  
  
"He'll graduate by the time she starts studying here. I'm pretty sure he'll be going back to the States." Maggie said.  
  
"It wouldn't work out." Dana said confidently.  
  
"How do you know?" Grace asked.  
  
Dana didn't answer.  
  
* * *  
  
That's it for Chapter 3. Sorry it took so long to post this, more will be coming in less time. Let me know what you think so far. Reviews always welcome. 


	4. Let the Romance Begin

"A Rather Strange First Encounter"  
  
Chapter 4: "Let the Romance Begin."  
  
Author: Jerome Mullins  
  
Disclaimer, Summary and Rating: See pervious chapters.  
  
Author's Notes: Dana goes on an unofficial date with the object of her affection who then gives her a crash course on how to properly "crack books" in college.  
  
* * *  
  
The rest of the afternoon was uneventful. Dana Scully spend most of her afternoon in the library reading through the latest medical journals and through the school's archives of medical books. She felt she should take advantage of the opportunity to get a head start in her medical studies. she slammed the book shut and sighed heavily.  
  
"My God," she groaned to herself. "I can't believe I'm listening to my father and started studying during my vacation."  
  
"I couldn't believe it either, but I didn't want to say anything." Said a friendly voice from behind her.  
  
Dana turned around behind her and found Fox Mulder smiling brightly at her from the table behind her. He reclined in his chair and glanced down at her book in front of her.  
  
"Jumping the gun on Medical School?"  
  
Dana shrugged and blushed slightly. "I thought. since I'm here already."  
  
"You mean your parents wanted you to take advantage of this wonderful institution's resources for the medical field? If you really wanted to impress them, I could take you to the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin." A broad smile crossed his lips.  
  
"Thank you for the offer," she nodded slightly. "But maybe I'll just stop listening to my father's instructions and start having my own fun. Aren't you supposed to be in class right now?" she looked at her watch.  
  
"Class is cancelled. My instructor is attending a conference this evening at Cambridge." He shrugged. "Guess I'm going to have to humor myself for a while, that is until Grace and Maggie are finished with their class."  
  
"How much time do we have?" Dana smiled slyly.  
  
"Couple hours," Fox leaned closer to her. "You doing anything tonight or are those medical journals calling out to you?"  
  
"I refuse to look at another medical book until I graduate from high school." She smiled brightly. "I guess you're just going to have to keep me entertained, Mr. Mulder."  
  
Fox leaned back in his chair again and smiled brightly.  
  
"I guess you and I are going to have to get a couple of beers and figure out what to do for the evening."  
  
He stood and gestured for Dana to follow him out of the library. They headed out for the off-campus bar in a comfortable silence. Dana was grateful for the night time, the lack of street lamps allowed her to glance over to him briefly without his knowledge. Just outside the bar, he smiled broadly at her and held the door open for her as she headed inside.  
  
The student crowd was light for the early evening, many were still in class, while those who were there were either local residents or a small group of students working on a project. Fox lead Dana to a small booth in the back near a small black and white television with poor reception. Dana guessed there was a soccer match going on, though she couldn't make out the teams or the announcer. The waitress, a short blonde woman, came over as soon as they were seated and took their order for a pitcher of beer with two pints and two cheeseburgers.  
  
"It's a shame you're under age," Fox winked at her when their pints arrived. "I'm sure you'll have a number of little secrets that you'll carry back home with you when you return."  
  
Dana blushed. "I can add them to my collection of little secrets I already have."  
  
"Sounds like someone's not the good little Catholic girl that she appears to be," he snickered. "That's all right though, I bet that you weren't able to tell that I am utterly insane upon first glance."  
  
"Utterly insane?" She raised an eyebrow curiously.  
  
"I deeply enjoy the dismemberment and torture of textbooks and lecture notes." He smiled sadistically.  
  
Dana laughed hysterically.  
  
"May I even ask what it is that leads you to suddenly attack a perfectly good textbook? What did they ever do to you?"  
  
"They inform me of information and drag me, kicking and screaming, from my ignorance."  
  
"Ignorance is bliss for you?"  
  
"Not complete ignorance," he shook his head. "But ignorance of Mathematics and Chemistry."  
  
"You don't like Math and Chemistry?" Dana chuckled. "I love them. They're two of my best subjects."  
  
"Yes, and because of your comfort in these two subjects, I see you doing great things in the medical field. I'm sure I'll read all about you some day, Dr. Dana Scully. finding a cure for cancer. winning the Nobel Prize."  
  
Dana blushed at his praise and began eating her cheeseburger. Sensing her discomfort, Fox silenced himself by gulping down his pint of ail and filling the mug from the pitcher of beer to the left of his plate.  
  
"And what will you do, Mr. Mulder? Where will I be reading your name some day?"  
  
Fox smiled broadly and shrugged as he popped a greasy chip into his open mouth. "Most likely in one of those tabloid newspapers. '_Local English fisherman claims to have discovered Atlantis in Scottish lake_.' That kind of thing."  
  
"Somehow I doubt that," Dana said quietly. "From what Grace and Maggie have told me, you're a very brilliant student."  
  
"They give me unjust praise," he shook his head. "Both of them have foolishly fallen in love with me."  
  
The silence was deafening. Dana slumped in her chair. Fox didn't seem to notice at first, he went on eating his cheeseburger and finishing his chips while drinking his pint. Dana was afraid that he could see right through her, that he knew that she had fallen for him too. If Fox did know, he didn't let his suspicions show.  
  
Dana cleared her throat before continuing to speak. "How do you know that they are in love with you?"  
  
"I don't know." Fox shrugged. "I guess I can tell from the way they've been acting towards me. I've known Maggie most of my life, we grew up together. one day she just started acting different. She used to be one of my best friends, we'd go to the movies and play baseball and football every weekend. I guess she fell in love with me back in high school because she applied to come here the same time I did. We both got in."  
  
Dana couldn't face him at this point. She kept her eyes on the rest of her food, none of which appealed to her anymore.  
  
"Do you love her?" she asked quietly.  
  
Fox was taken a back at this. He chuckled at first and then only smiled slightly. "No." He replied softly. "I don't love her. And it hurts me to say so."  
  
"Why?" she looked over to him.  
  
"I'm afraid that if she knows that I don't love her back, that it will destroy her. That I might lose her. She's my best friend, I feel closer to her than anyone else. I can tell her anything. but I couldn't bear to hurt her." He paused. "Truth of the matter is, I don't think I can love anyone."  
  
"Not after Phoebe?"  
  
Dana slapped herself for mentioning the name out loud. She felt horrible for bringing up a subject she had no right to even mention, let alone know about it. Surprisingly, Fox took the sudden change in subject light heartedly. He couldn't help but laugh when Dana blushed.  
  
"I see that Grace and Maggie are keeping you well informed." His smiled let Dana know that no offense had been taken. "They tell you everything?"  
  
"More than I should know." Dana admitted.  
  
"I wouldn't worry about that," Fox shook his head. "You see those two sitting at the bar?"  
  
Dana looked behind him to where he had gestured with his thumb and saw two young female students, one blonde and the other brunette, sitting with the heads turned in their direction. The sat close together, whispered and giggled, and then quickly looked away when they noticed Dana watching them.  
  
"I see them."  
  
"I can tell you what they are talking about without seeing their faces, the one on the right is daring the other to ask me out on a date. The one on the left just came back to school after a two month internship in Whales, she knew Phoebe and I were going out, but she doesn't know about our break-up. At this very moment, the one on the right is informing her friend that she has a chance with me now."  
  
Dana looked back to the two girls. Sure enough, she could take a good guess that everything Fox had just said about the two was correct. The two girls were most certainly talking about him. Suddenly, Dana felt extremely territorial.  
  
"My point is Dana, that the story of my break-up with Phoebe is no one's business. Yet the story has endured and spread like wildfire," he shrugged. "I guess there was no way to keep something like that out of the public eye."  
  
Dana looked over to him and then back to the girl sitting on the left who got off her bar stool and turned to walk towards them. When she arrived at their table, Fox showed no surprise when the girl tapped him on the shoulder and introduced herself.  
  
"I'm Christine, I couldn't help notice you while my roommate and I were sitting over there." Fox gave a brief, knowing smile to Dana. "I heard about you and Phoebe, I wanted to let you know that if feel for you. _sorry_ for you. I feel sorry for what happened to you. And if you ever wanted someone to talk to." she extended her hand which held a piece of napkin in it.  
  
Fox took it with a brief smile and watched her return to the bar. He then turned back to Dana.  
  
"Told you so." He reached for his pint and gulped the remains of the beer.  
  
"She give you her number?" Dana gestured to the piece of paper.  
  
"She did." Fox nodded. "It was rather rude of her, wasn't it? She didn't even pause to consider whether or not I was seeing you."  
  
Had anyone else said that to her, she would have felt offended or at least concerned. Yet she was not, she loved that he had said it. Reaffirming the fact that she loved him.  
  
"She must have guessed that I wasn't a student here." Dana shrugged.  
  
"True. But still, a grown man sitting in a bar with an attractive young woman, she could have asked first, don't you think."  
  
Dana's heart skipped a beat. _Attractive?_ Did Fox Mulder just call Dana Scully an _attractive_ young woman? Not wanting her face to betray her secret thoughts, Dana turned to finish her dinner and smiled at his complements as if they were merely polite observations, nothing to blush over. Yet she _was_ blushing, she couldn't help it. He did notice her, he was looking. Dana couldn't help but wonder if, secretly and deep down somewhere, he felt the same way about her. She shook her head clear of those thoughts. How could he? He had just gotten through a rather nasty relationship, the last thing he wanted was another relationship. but then again. Dana hadn't wanted to fall in love either.  
  
* * *  
  
After finishing their meal, the two of them decided to take a stroll around the campus before heading back to his dorm where they could watch a movie before Grace and Maggie joined them. Dana listened intently as Fox went into detail of the things he had been studying while at Oxford: his philosophy and psychology classes, the teachers, the lectures, the hard work and the numerous term papers. Dana was hooked on every single word that he spoke. While they walked in the darkness, Dana couldn't wait until they passed under a street lamp, she needed to look at him. But more importantly, she needed to see without him noticing.  
  
She didn't want him to know that she was in love with him. He would have laughed it off as a schoolgirl crush, no more serious than when a pupil "falls in love" with his or her teacher. But more than that, she was afraid of the rejection which she knew he would give her. He had told her himself, he did not want to fall in love again. He had no desire to be back in another relationship, only to lose once again. And that's what would happen to the both of them.  
  
Dana had to constantly remind herself of the harm that she could do to him. Say that she admitted how she felt about him, and that he accepted it. What then? They could be together, sure, but for how long? She would be returning home shortly. She would probably never see him again. There would be no doubt that she would be crushed knowing that she had to leave him, but how would he feel? Fox would have to remain in England, he wouldn't be able to come home with Dana. The idea of them being together was laughable, yet she couldn't shake the idea of belonging to only him. To her, the idea of loving Fox Mulder seemed as natural as breathing.  
  
It was the official dinner time for resident students when they arrived back at the dorms. Maggie and Grace left a message with Fox's roommate that they were still in class and they would be going to dinner by themselves. They planned to return to Fox's room shortly before ten. It was only quarter of nine now. Fox's roommate then left to head down to dinner leaving the two in his room.  
  
Fox welcomed Dana back into his room and threw his coat into the corner to signify that he had "cleaned-up" for her visit. The then took his books and unceremoniously plopped them on the surface of his desk.  
  
"You're sure I'm not taking you away from any homework or a project? Nothing like that right?"  
  
"I'm pretty sure," he nodded. A devilish smile then spread across his face. "But I can double check."  
  
Without missing a beat, he took his seat at his large desk and picked up a science book from his mound of textbooks and threw it to the wall behind him. The book hit the wall with a splat and landed in front of him to an open page. He flipped through the pages and then closed the book. He checked each of his books systematically, shut them and then put them in a stack off the side of his desk surface. He looked back at her and gave her a wink.  
  
"No homework tonight," he shrugged. "All that book cracking for nothing."  
  
Dana erupted into hysterical laugher and sat down on the sofa. Fox laughed along with her and headed to the corner of the room where a small cooler was kept hidden under a pile of folded polo shirts and jeans. He opened it and took out two cans of soda, handed her one and kept the other.  
  
"You show no respect for the authors of those books by bestowing so much abuse." She scorned him playfully.  
  
"Those authors should be shot. There are laws against that however, but there are no laws against book abuse."  
  
"Just wait, they'll have something soon enough. Then you'll have to watch yourself." She then paused, taking a more serious tone. "Can I ask you something?"  
  
Fox nodded.  
  
"Have you really thrown books out the window before?"  
  
"Quite a few times." He nodded proudly.  
  
"May I ask why?"  
  
"I could tell you," he said cautiously. "But then I would have to kill you."  
  
Fox then jumped to his feet and lead her up gently with his extended hand.  
  
"Although I can't explain it to you, I think it's something you'll get once you experience it yourself."  
  
Without saying a word more, Fox lead her to the window behind the desk and opened it to the night air. He directed her to stand next to the window and then presented her with a rather thick book from his stack of textbooks. Dana looked over the hardback book and read the title out loud.  
  
"_Voices of Wisdom_." She looked at him suspiciously.  
  
"The worst book of philosophy ever written," he shook his head. "Let it fly, Dana."  
  
Dana turned to look out the open window and then turned back to him.  
  
"You can't be serious." She shook her head.  
  
"Let the spirit move you, Dana, let it _fly_. Free it into the wind."  
  
"'Free it into the wind?' Do you know how crazy that sounds?" she handed the book back to him. "I'm not going to throw it out the window."  
  
"You asked me what the appeal is, I'm trying to help you understand. It's something that you have to experience yourself. launch it, Dana." He gestured for her to throw it with his arm.  
  
Dana took the book and stared at it for a moment. She then looked out the window. She knew she was crazy for doing it. she took a step away from the window and whipped the book out the window as if she were throwing a Frisbee.  
  
With the lack of street lamps and minimal moonlight, the two of them could only tell if the book had landed when they heard an awkward splat on the grassy lawn below the dorm window. Dana looked down and could hear the pages turning in the faint wind. She looked to Fox who nodded confidently. Dana looked back down to the thrown book and then started to laugh hysterically.  
  
By throwing a textbook from the window, she had experienced a freedom like none other. It was wonderful, the restrictions of education and learning were being challenged and rejected. Students all around the world should consider taking part in this freedom. especially if they just feeling like blowing off a little steam.  
  
Fox went back to his desk and picked up a couple more books. He handed another one to Dana who happily stepped back and let it fly through the air to land on the grassy court. It was now Fox's turn, his choices were his large Cambridge edition of the _Complete Works of William Shakespeare_ and a rather thick and heavy version of Leo Tolstoy's _War and Peace_. The books flew much farther than Dana's and landed with a force that gave off such a thud that let Dana know she was in the presence of a master book flyer.  
  
In the end, a total of ten books had been sent on their merry way out of Fox Mulder's dorm window and now sat in the mud and grass of the court below the dorms at Green College. Fox and Dana sat side by side under the window finishing their second cans of soda, still laughing and giggling from their book flying adventure.  
  
"It's going to be a real pain in the ass to clean up all of that down there," Dana smirked at him.  
  
"I know." He nodded. "Grace and Maggie can get it in the morning."  
  
"How do you know they'll clean you mess?"  
  
"They are in love with me right? They'll do it." He said confidently with a snort.  
  
"It's a shame you're not available." Dana said, now feeling a little more confident in speaking freely to her new friend.  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"I'm sure there are people out there who would be real happy to be with you, people who would be a lot different than Phoebe Green."  
  
Fox smiled. "I'm sure you're right." He nodded. "Do you think any of them live around here?"  
  
"I don't know, but there are people here who care about you."  
  
"I know." He nodded. "I just don't love them, it would be like dating my. sister." he trailed off quietly.  
  
There was pain in his voice at the mentioning of his sister. Dana didn't even know he had a sister, or any siblings. Whatever pain he was feeling, he shook it off and went on as if he had never mentioned it.  
  
"I don't believe it was meant to be when it comes to Grace and Maggie."  
  
"I wasn't referring to them." She said quietly.  
  
Without wasting another moment of thinking or chatting, Dana leaned forward and gently planted a kiss on his lips.  
  
* * *  
  
That's it for Chapter 4. Now I have finally gotten to the good stuff, thanks to all who have read and reviewed. I appreciate the words of encouragement, but don't be afraid to send criticism and suggestions as well. I do want to point out that the book title of _Voice of Wisdom_ is a real life philosophy book (the worst ever written) and I do not mean any offence in mentioning it in this story (not much anyway) please do not sue me. especially if you are the author: G. Kessler. I encourage all readers to participate in this practice of book flying; especially if you are a college student. it makes a good conversation piece and a great stress release. More is coming soon. 


	5. What Was That?

Title: "A Rather Strange First Encounter"  
  
Chapter 5 "What Was That?"  
  
Author: Jerome Mullins  
  
Disclaimer, Summary and Rating: See previous chapters.  
  
Author's Notes: I noticed some of you were caught on the edge of your seats at the end of the last chapter. I make no apologies for that, I simply want to state: Thank you for returning for this chapter. All of the sudden, I appear to have a lot of interested readers, I thank you very much. I love to see the number of reviews for my work steadily increase, gives me an incentive to continue writing more chapters.  
  
In this chapter, love has struck Dana Scully, but what about Fox Mulder? Despite the awkwardness of their situation, things are going to get worse when some unexpected people show up. While there is some humor in this chapter, it does have a few serious things going on, especially towards the end. Now without further ado, I leave you with what you've all come for: Mulder's reaction.  
  
* * *  
  
It was a soft and tender kiss, nothing desperate or offense. Rather pleasant. Dana Scully kept her lips on his longer than she had intended to. Something was keeping her there, a soft gentle touch under her chin. It moved back and forth over her skin, a touch to keep her from moving away. She was happy at this moment and had no intention of moving. She communicated this desire to remain close by wrapping her arms around his upper body. Her left hand came up to his neck and she gently scratched the tiny hairs along his neck with her nails. This incited his reaction to move his fingers from her jaw line and under her chin to hold the side of her face in his palm. Dana wasn't the only one enjoying this moment.  
The two of them only released from each other long enough to take a breath of air. Dana's first reaction was to inhale enough oxygen to stop her lungs from burning and go right back into another kiss. She took a deep breath and leaned forward but he stopped her with a gentle touch of his thumb on her plump, delicious lips. He smiled weakly. He was blushing and shyly looked away from her.  
"I'm sorry," his voice was barely above a whisper. "I can't do this to you, despite how much I want to, it just wouldn't be fair to you."  
Fox Mulder shook his head and got up from her side under the window. He took a few steps forward to distance himself from her before he turned back to give her another sheepish smile.  
Dana shook her head in disbelief, had she missed something in that moment? _She_ had kissed him, when did he want in on the deal?  
"I kissed you." Dana looked up at him, as if she were trying to confirm that the kiss had actually happened.  
"Yes, you did." Fox nodded.  
"_I_ kissed you." She was trying to prove a point now.  
"Yes, and I kissed you back." He admitted freely.  
Her heart fluttered as she suddenly understood what that meant, he wanted her _too_. At least enough to want to hold her and kiss her in return. _One step at a time_, Dana thought to herself. She couldn't help but smile, something had caught fire between the two of them that night. If only she could have the time to replay the evening's conversations in her mind, to pin point the exact moment when the sparks ignited, but at the moment she felt as if she had to win him back.  
"I have to tell you, Dana," Dana suddenly snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of his voice. "I wasn't expecting this to happen."  
"Me neither." Dana said bluntly. "But something sure as hell happened."  
"Yes it did." He nodded.  
"I liked it." Dana said bravely.  
"So did I." Fox returned the bluntness.  
The silence that followed ignited a sudden flame of mutual want and craving for each other. When they linked eyes, Dana could feel him pulling her closer to him. She rose to her feet and took steps closer to him. Thinking she was in the clear to make another move on him, he took a step back. The moment of sexual tension suddenly vanished.  
"It wouldn't be fair to you." He shook his head. "There's an entire ocean that's separating us, Dana."  
Logic suddenly re-entered Dana's thoughts, he was right. Just hours before she had worked out an entire list of reasons of why a relationship between the two of them wouldn't work, it seemed funny to her that she couldn't recall a single reason when her lips were locked with his. An unexpected, and disappointingly honest, realization sprung from her lips.  
"You're right, maybe this just isn't meant to be."  
Dana felt like slapping herself for saying such a thing. She wanted this, she wanted _him_. But her rational mind was telling her that it just wasn't going to happen. She could have killed her rational mind at that very moment.  
"It wouldn't be fair to you." He had mentioned this fact twice before, now it sounded as if he was trying to convince himself he was right. "When would we ever get to spend time with each other?"  
"Right, you have class." Dana nodded. "And I'm only here for a few more days. It's not going to work for us."  
"Exactly, and what about when you get back to the states?"  
"Yeah, you have another year here and I've still got high school to finish."  
Her list was starting to come back now.  
"Right." He nodded. "Besides, there'll be lots of other guys next year. There'll be someone you can go to the prom with and see movies with, meanwhile I'd just be stuck here."  
"And there are plenty of girls here too. There are those nice girls in the bar. There's Maggie and Grace. There are plenty of people here for you."  
"You're right." He nodded.  
Argument over, defense rests. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully were not meant to be with each other.  
They sat down on the sofa in silence for several moments, listening to the silence of the room. They then turned to staring at each other for several moments, occasionally giving the other a brief smile, when they suddenly both lunged forward and wrapped their arms around each other. They kissed hotly and passionately, their hands enclosing the other in a tight embrace. Dana refused to let go of his lips. Their tongues darted, teased and chased each other as Dana pulled him on top of her.  
The sound of the door opening and Grace's gasp caused both Fox and Dana to pause and look at each other and then turn to look at the door.  
Maggie stood speechless. She observed the room with the window wide open and the absence of all his text books. She then turned to Fox and Dana and smiled at them.  
"Let me guess, this all started after you freed some text books?"  
"Completely unplanned." Fox stated simply and looked down to Dana who nodded.  
"Completely. We were not planning for this to happen." Her voice was calm.  
Fox smacked his lips and then gently raised himself off of Dana. Dana sat up and straightened her shirt, then smoothed the back of his shirt from the wrinkles she had caused while working to remove it.  
"I think we'll leave you two for now," Maggie said moving herself, and a very stunned Grace, towards the front door. "Goodnight all."  
When they left the room, Fox turned and looked at Dana. "I think I should lock the door from now on. What do you think?"  
"That might be a good idea," she nodded. "Make sure your roommate has a key though."  
"Yes." He nodded and leaned towards her. He was about to give her another kiss when it was she who laid a thumb on his lips this time.  
"I had a wonderful evening, but I think I should say goodnight."  
Fox didn't argue, he simply kissed her cheek and walked her to his door. He opened the door for her and fiddled with the knob.  
"Don't forget to lock it." She tapped his hand which rested on the knob.  
"Maybe I'll start doing that tomorrow night," he paused. "Just in case you wanted to drop by later."  
Dana reached up on her tip-toes and planted another kiss on his lips before turning down the hall to catch-up with Grace and Maggie.  
Fox closed the door and left it unlocked. He then locked it and then unlocked it. Staring at the knob, knowing how simple it was to lock the door, he leaned his head back to look up at the ceiling and rushed his head forward to smack his forehead right into the closed door.  
  
* * *  
  
Dana's view:  
  
"What the hell was that?" Grace demanded when Dana quietly entered the dorm room.  
Maggie and Grace had been waiting for her right next to the door. Dana came in, closed the door, and stood in front of them as a prisoner before the firing squad.  
"Just what the hell was going on between the two of you in there?" Grace was clearly unhappy about what she had seen. Maggie seemed to be alarmingly indifferent.  
"Oh, please." Maggie approached Dana softly. "Leave her alone, she'll tell us when she's ready."  
Maggie gently led Dana to her bed and sat down next to her.  
"Leave her alone? How can I? After what I just saw-the two of them. _that_ way on the couch."  
"It's really none of our business," Maggie scolded her roommate. "Besides, you were the one who went in without knocking. Where are your manners?"  
"I didn't know I would have to knock! How could I have known? They just met!"  
"We weren't planning on it." Dana said quietly. "It just happened." She shrugged shyly.  
"How did it happen?" Grace demanded. "What did you say? What did he say? Omit no detail."  
"Grace, why don't you take a walk around campus? Cool down a bit." Maggie suggested as she lead Grace to the door by her arm.  
"I'm fine!" Grace shouted as she broke free from the hold.  
Maggie gestured to the door and Grace reluctantly left them. She paused at the door before going out and then left them alone. Maggie sat down next to Dana and waited patiently.  
"It wasn't planned," Dana repeated again. "It just happened."  
"It was the book flying thing wasn't it?" She had a knowing smile on her face. Dana stared at her curiously and Maggie's smile broadened. "We saw the books in the court yard, saw his window open, not to mention the fact that both of you were absent at dinner."  
"We went to the pub, we ate there."  
"And then he taught you how to 'free' some books," Dana nodded. "Fun isn't it?"  
Dana couldn't help but smile. It was rather fun, but not as half as enjoyable as kissing Fox Mulder.  
"So. who kissed who first?"  
"I kissed him." Dana said quietly.  
"And then?"  
"He kissed me back."  
Maggie nodded and slumped her shoulders.  
"He didn't kiss me." She said solemnly. "I kissed him, but there was nothing in return. I guess he just wasn't interested."  
Dana stared at her for a minute and then suddenly understood.  
"The same thing happened to you, didn't it?"  
"Three months ago." Maggie nodded. "We were just hanging out in his dorm, listening to a new record he had just picked up from a record shop in London. We were chatting a bit then we started talking about textbooks. I was mentioning how much I hated my World History texts, he then lead me to the window and then told me to 'just let it _fly_.'" Dana couldn't help but smile upon recalling those same words. "We went through about six textbooks, some of mine, some of his. Each of them landed flat in the middle of the courtyard, I nearly hit one of my professors, and then we just sat and laughed at the whole thing. And for God knows what reason, I just leaned over and kissed him."  
"That's exactly what happened to me." Dana sighed heavily. "I don't know what it was, the way he laughed, the way he smiled; I just had to kiss him. I felt like there was nothing else more important in the entire world. We were sitting under the window, I leaned forward and kissed him flush on the lips."  
"And then he kissed you back," Maggie said probing. "You weren't under the window sill when we found the two of you, what lead you to the sofa?"  
"The mutual realization that a long distance relationship would not work and only leave both of us hurt and without each other."  
"And that's why you agreed to make-out with him? The realization that a relationship would do harm but not a one-night stand?"  
Dana stared at her bewildered. "I don't think we were heading for his bed."  
"That's not the way we saw it," Maggie said bluntly.  
"No, we just. I don't know _what_ happened at that moment but I just had to hold him." She shrugged. "I still feel that way."  
"You could run back up stairs," a calm voice came from behind her. Grace quietly came back in the room and had heard everything Dana had said.  
"After that? How could I face him again? He probably wants nothing to do with me." Dana lied back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.  
"That's assuming that he doesn't like you." Maggie warned her. "From what I saw, he likes you."  
"Fox didn't make a move like that on Phoebe," Grace joined the two on the bed. "Not for a long while, and even then I'm sure it was she who instigated the whole thing."  
"Are you telling me that he likes me more than Phoebe?"  
"He kissed you back." Maggie nodded her head. "Get back up there."  
Dana sat up and looked at the two of them. She then nodded and got off the bed and headed back towards Fox's room. She was half way down the hall when she found a petite woman, roughly Dana's height, perhaps a few inches taller, with short, dark hair standing in his doorway. The door was wide open; the two of them crowded the whole frame. Dana didn't have to take a step closer to realize that they were kissing. A heart broken sigh involuntarily escaped her lips and she turned away.  
She felt as if the entire building was coming down on her, crushing her small frame under its weight. She already had an idea of who it was that was with him now, locked in an embrace that should have been addressed to her, but her suspicions were reaffirmed when she overheard Fox's roommate mention the woman to another resident.  
"Might as well stay here tonight, Matt, looks like Phoebe's back."  
  
* * *  
  
Fox's view:  
  
His head still on the door, a slight pain resounding in his scull, he lifted his head and returned to the window. He looked out into the night air and then down to the court yard. He couldn't see any of the books, but he knew they were there, he heard the pages flapping and turning in the cool night breeze. He sighed at the thought of the mess that the venture had probably left. He could see his professor's faces in his mind, each with a look of disapproval for his disrespect to his textbooks, even if they were rather dull. Still, he could always see a glimmer of amusement in some of his professor's faces, his psychology professors especially. Fox was simply letting off a bit of steam, a completely normal reaction to stress much like anyone involved in exercise and weightlifting after a hard working day.  
He sighed as his thoughts wandered to Dana, the wonderful American who had come to stay for a week. Only a week, it was depressing to him. Here was this beautiful young girl, four years his junior is not _too_ young; she was intelligent, interesting, energetic, and just plain wonderful. There was nothing better to describe her, she was wonderful. At first glance, he knew that their meeting was going to remain with him for the rest of his life. He could only hope that he made a similar impact on her. But tonight, what had happened? Even he didn't know.  
He turned to face the sofa and smiled as he recalled the evening's events. The chance meeting her in the library, taking her to dinner, freeing his textbooks, and the kiss. That wonderful, wet, deep, romantic kiss that lasted too brief a time. He didn't understand what was happening to him. He had just had the worst break-up he had ever experienced, he had left Phoebe, and now he was thinking about another woman less than a month later. What really perplexed him was the fact that he had been thinking about Dana all day long. After seeing the girls in the dinning hall at breakfast, her image remained with him through all his afternoon classes. He even caught himself thinking about her during a class lecture, causing him to miss half of the notes. Was it her smile? That shimmering auburn hair? Her sparkling blue eyes? Whatever it was, it was causing him to think about her more than he should. He had just met her the day before, how could one possibly feel this way for someone else after a single encounter? He had told Grace and Maggie both that he did not believe in love at first sight. Now he wasn't so sure.  
As she ate with him, as they talked while walking back to his dorm, even while she was throwing his textbooks out the window, he was watching her. The way her eyes sparkled as she listened to him, she was hung on every word. The way her hair moved as her body wound back and then twisted forward, her arm releasing one of his texts. The way she laughed at his jokes, it was a girlish giggle, heavenly and comforting. He had been grateful for the lack of streetlamps on their walk back to his dorm room, he wanted to watch her but he didn't want her to know. The last thing he wanted to do was make her feel uncomfortable.  
His thoughts then wandered to the kiss they had shared. It was warm and sweet, what a first kiss should be. But above all else, it was brief. What was most amazing about it was the fact that _she_ had kissed _him_. Phoebe never kissed him, not like that. It felt as if the very touch of his lips upon hers was a gift bestowed upon her from heaven. He could literally feel her melt in his arms, as if her feelings for him went far beyond simple attraction. There was something much more to that kiss and he wanted nothing more than to find out what it was.  
His thoughts were suddenly broken by a loud tapping at his door. Hoping that it was Dana he rushed for the knob. His heart dropped from its happy beating place in his chest to his stomach in the very instant that he recognized Phoebe Green's face.  
"I saw the light on in your room and the books spread all over the court yard, though you might be in." Her eyes were too bright to have been planning just a simple visit, she wanted something.  
"You promised you won't come over here anymore," he sighed heavily.  
"I know." She nodded and looked down to her feet. "I just needed to see you."  
"Me?" he laughed harshly. "Why not go to Jeffery? Or better yet, why not see Alex?"  
"I know you're still hurting," she began but Fox cut her off sharply.  
"No, I don't want to hear this. No more lies. No more excuses. You weren't happy and you took comfort with someone else. You don't belong here anymore." He shook his head.  
"Don't belong?" the corners of her mouth turned up playfully.  
"I don't want you here." He turned to close the door on her when she stopped it with her hand.  
It was Phoebe's turn to be hurt.  
"Don't _want_ me here? Fox, you've never turned me down."  
"That was before." He said simply. "Things have changed now."  
"In such a short time?" she snorted.  
"You were able to find comfort with someone else after I left you," he said curtly. "It was the same evening from what I understand."  
"Fox," she sighed. "That's all over and done with. They're gone now. Alex and Jeffery, and even Thomas, it's all over with each of them. I'm only here for you."  
She placed her hands on his chest and moved them to his shoulders. He caught them sharply by the wrists and held her away from him harshly.  
"No, no." He shook his head. "Not again, I told you when I left that I was not going to do this. I'm not going to take you back."  
Deep confusion washed over her face. This was not the same man she had betrayed the week before, the one who left her. Something was startlingly different about him; there was no trace of the misery she had left him with in his eyes. Truth be told, there was no longer a glimmer of need for her. He was finished with her, their relationship and their friendship, everything meant nothing to him. There was someone else in his life.  
"Who is she?" she asked harshly.  
Fox snorted. "Leave, Phoebe. Just leave."  
She crowded the doorway, her arms folded across her chest. She would do no such thing. "Who is _she_?" she demanded to know. Who dared to pull Fox Mulder out his heart's despair and give him hope again?  
"You don't know her." Fox said firmly. "Why should this matter to you? I don't belong to you anymore. I don't have to answer to you."  
"It's Grace isn't it?" she eyed him suspiciously. "Or is it Maggie? She's been after you for years."  
"It's neither. That's all you're going to know, Phoebe, now leave. I've asked you twice now, don't make me ask you again."  
Phoebe sighed heavily, she was furious. Not more than a month ago he had left her, he was furious. She had been caught with one of his classmates in her room. Forgetting that she had invited Fox to come over after his night class, her little tryst had apparently gone on longer than expected. He was beside himself with grief upon knowing that there had been others. He wouldn't tolerate the idea of her being unfaithful to him. He had always warned her that he would leave if she ever broke his heart. But she was all he had; she knew that he believed that he was actually in love with her. She took advantage of that. She would be his, but she would have others on the side, knowing full well that Fox would never actually leave her, believing that he wouldn't. Having her cake and eating it too, as the saying goes. All that changed when he left. Heart broken, tears collecting in his eyes, he left her and he promised not to come back. She had come to his dorm that night to see if a month had patched up his wounds, that she might be able to win him back.  
Even before he left, she was beginning to suspect that Fox knew he was being made a fool of. Even worse, he may have been aware that he was not at all in love with her. Upon realizing this, it would have been only a matter of time before he left her for good. The realization that it was only a matter of time before she lost him, she decided to take comfort in the arms of another. She stupidly believed that a brief affair that night would help her to think clearly and find a way to keep Fox from leaving. She was locked in an intimate embrace when Fox entered the door. His books dropped to the floor. His eyes became two wide dark pools. Tears gathered in those pools but did not fall. His shoulders slumped forwards, his heart tore in two. He didn't say a word to either of them; he simply collected his books, bowed to them both and left the room. She collected herself in her bed sheet, leaving her bedmate to fend for himself in his nude state, and ran down the hall after him. She begged him not to go, but he turned to face her slowly. His voice was low, firm. "I've leaving, Phoebe." He said plainly. "And I will never take you back." He then left without another word.  
It was not just a warning, it was a promise; one that he was holding now. There were no pools of tears in his eyes now, no rejoicing at her return, nor any hatred, simply nothing. And that is what frightened her the most. Fox Mulder felt nothing for Phoebe Green. She reached for his chest and he pulled away again.  
"No, Phoebe, you had your chance. You betrayed me. Goodnight." He moved to close his door but she stuck her foot in the door jam.  
He stared down at it blankly and looked back to her.  
"Fox," she said slowly, genuinely hurt by his rejection. "We can't even talk about this?"  
"There's nothing to talk about."  
"Then can I at least say good-bye to you properly?"  
Fox rolled his eyes. One last kiss, it always had to be _one last kiss_.  
He quickly came forward and kissed her on the cheek and pulled back. Before he could make a clean escape she grabbed hold of his neck and planted a firm kiss on his lips. He cringed, refusing to give anything back. She could smell the perfume of another woman, even taste the lipstick that was clearly not her brand on his lips. She wasn't going to win him back. _But I can give you a taste of what you'll never have again_, she thought as the kiss went on longer than necessary.  
Fox could sense there were others in the hallway watching them. He grew furious as she continued to linger on his lips, she was making him the fool once again. He heard approaching footsteps, then they stopped, he could hear something of a gasp and then the footsteps turn in the opposite direction. _Good idea, who wants to watch this freak show? Who the hell is she kidding?_ Fox then grabbed her shoulders and pushed her away. He broke any physical contact with her, spit on the ground in front of her and slammed the door shut.  
  
* * *  
  
Originally I had intended to end this chapter half way though with Dana's view and leave Fox's perspective for the next chapter. I decided again this for a couple of reasons: 1) I already did the cliffhanger thing to you last chapter and 2) I didn't want you to hate Mulder; I wanted you to hate Phoebe. Hope you'll stay tuned for the next chapter, please review and let me know what you think of this one.  
  
An Answer to a Reader:  
  
One of you asked me if I had ever participated in book flying, the answer is yes. I started doing this during my freshmen year of college and have gone on to get others, including my wife and best friends, to join me in this new college tradition. If you're afraid of hitting someone, here's my suggestion: get into your car or walk to a large field near your home with a few of your least favorite books in hand. Make sure no one else is present and let 'em fly. It's a great stress relief, you'll see. I encourage everyone to try it and then tell a friend. You'll be glad you did. 


	6. A Misunderstanding with Mr Right

Title: "A Rather Strange First Encounter"  
  
Chapter 6 "A Misunderstanding with Mr. Right"  
  
Author: Jerome Mullins  
  
Disclaimer, Summary and Rating: see previous chapters.  
  
Author's Notes: An error is corrected when Fox and Dana discuss the difficulties of having a long distance relationship. A more serious chapter yes, but important to the story it is.  
  
* * *  
  
Maggie and Grace sat quietly in their room when Dana Scully reentered. She kept her eyes on the floor and sat down on her bed without saying a word.  
"Back so soon?" Grace giggled.  
"We didn't expect to see you until morning," Maggie chirped, she then saw Dana was crying. "Dana?"  
No response.  
"Dana? Is everything all right?"  
"I never should have kissed him." She said quietly. "I never should have even thought that we could be together."  
"Dana," Grace said leaned forward on her bed. "Did something happen?"  
Dana nodded slightly as she wiped her tears softly with her index finger. Maggie got up and joined her on the bed. Maggie touched her lightly on the shoulder and leaned closer to hear Dana whisper the name of the enemy, "Phoebe."  
Maggie leaned back and stared at her. "Phoebe?"  
"I went back upstairs," Dana sighed heavily. "I was headed back to his room and before I got there, I saw them."  
"Them? Together?" Grace couldn't believe it.  
Dana nodded.  
"But he left her. She knows not to come back to him; he had told her he wouldn't take her back." Maggie looked over to Grace who shrugged.  
Dana said nothing and leaned back on the bed and staring up at the ceiling. She was crushed. She had fallen in love against her will, fearing that she would have her heart broken if she gave in to her desire for him. The instant she saw the two of them in the hallway, locked in that embrace, she could feel her heart being torn in two. She was in love with someone who didn't love her back. She couldn't understand it, the way he had kissed her, the fire and passion in his touch had all been so sincere and believable. They had been addressed to her, to no one else _but_ her. Now he was upstairs with someone else only moments after she had bid him good- night.  
"Are you sure it was Phoebe?" Grace asked gently.  
"I heard someone say her name," Dana closed her eyes and let the tears stream down the side of her face.  
"I just can't believe it." Grace shook her head. "He was just with you, there has to be some mistake."  
Dana shook her head and covered her face with her pillow. The image of Fox and Phoebe together was burned in her mind. She could even see them with her eyes closed tight. Both Maggie and Grace felt so helpless watching Dana cry, they felt even worse knowing that it was they who had encouraged her to go after him.  
Maggie gently touched Dana's shoulder and got up from the bed, she gestured for Grace to follow her out of the room to give Dana a few moments alone. Left to her self, Dana was able to cry in private while both Maggie and Grace headed upstairs to speak with Fox.  
  
Fox Mulder turned away from the door and returned to the window, he looked down below once more before shutting the windows and drawing the blinds. He looked to his desk and admired the book-free surface. He would have to get up early in the morning to retrieve them from the courtyard. He was confident that they would all be there waiting for him the next morning, his classmates knew not to touch them. Besides, it was a sick mind that could ever think of those books as treasures, especially his philosophy book. He shuddered at the thought of the book, and its contents, he silently prayed that the damage done was irrevocable.  
His thoughts were then invaded by the memory of Phoebe Green. She knew she wasn't welcome back, how could she come back thinking he would be willing to accept her? _The nerve of that woman,_ he thought to himself. He heard a knock at the door and his shoulders slumped heavily. He let out an angry sigh before blindly opening the door.  
"Phoebe, I told you not to come back-" he started.  
Maggie and Grace stood in the hallway.  
"Fox, was Phoebe just here?" Maggie asked bewildered.  
"Yeah," he stared at them and then snorted. "You guys wouldn't have believed it, if you had been here. She came over here knowing damn well that she wasn't welcome."  
"Did we hear right?" Grace took a step closer. "Were the two of you kissing?"  
"Hardly, she just grabbed me," Fox paused. _News certainly does get around fast,_ he thought. "Who told you about that?"  
"Dana." Maggie said.  
"What?" Fox's heart felt as if it had dropped from his chest down to his feet in that very instant.  
"She saw the two of you, her heart is broken." Grace shook her head. "Poor dear."  
"My God," Fox then darted past them up to their room.  
Dana was still lying on her bed when Fox lightly tapped on the door and entered. His heart sunk even deeper to the bottoms of his soles upon seeing her in such a depressed state.  
"Dana," he said softly.  
Dana instantly knew his voice and sat up. She quickly wiped away the tears, a feeble attempt to mask her broken heart. Fox closed the door and sat down next to her.  
"Grace told me what you saw. Dana, I'm so sorry you saw that. I didn't mean for it to happen, I don't want to have anything to do with her." He shook his head. "I said _no_, but she grabbed me. I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't even know you were there."  
Dana took a deep breath and nodded. She believed him. It came back to her in a rush of emotion, he _did_ love her, and he did care for her. She wasn't in this alone, both of them had fallen madly in love with each other, she could believe in that. She seemed relieved, but her pain was still there. He could see it in her eyes as if it were as clear as day.  
"Dana, I don't feel anything for her." He moved in closer. "I care about you." His voice was no higher than a whisper. He leaned in closer to her, their noses barely touching.  
It would have been the simplest thing to lean in and kiss her, Fox knew that. He also knew how easy it would be to lock the door. To be alone with this wonderful and beautiful woman, the angel named Dana Scully. _Just simply lean in, kiss her,_ he told himself. But he restrained himself. As much as he wanted to kiss her, _wanted_ her to beg for his touch, he wanted her touch all the more. To feel his passion and desire for her reflected in her own kisses. He wanted to know if she felt the same passion and need for him as he did for her.  
There was a kiss, a small one she delivered to his lips without hesitation, but as delicious as that kiss was it had no passion, no deep desire within it, simply a message. _I'm sorry;_ it told him,_ forgive me for doubting you. I do love you with my whole heart, you need never doubt it. But there is something else, something that has been circling in my mind and I must tell you._ They released and her eyes did not meet his.  
"Dana?" his tone let her know that he was on to her, that he could sense something was looming on her mind.  
Dana kept the silence between them for several moments, collecting her thoughts before she spoke. Fox did not dare to break the silence; he used the time to brace himself for the worst. He was not disappointed.  
"We can't go on like this," she said finally in a voice so quiet that her words did not register with him right away. "We can't see each other anymore."  
The words, while not surprising, were crushing. His eyes darted around the room quickly, pleading for salvation, _Dear Lord; send me something, anything, to keep me from drowning. She slipping away from me, God help me, she's slipping away._ He looked back at her, but she still couldn't meet his gaze.  
"We can't see each other anymore?" he asked in a voice that was more like a hurt little boy than a grown man.  
"You were right, Fox, there's an entire ocean that's separating us. How long could we have kept this going? How could we have made this work?"  
He cursed himself for ever saying such words.  
"I'm returning home at the end of the week, going back home to finish my last year of high school. The following year I'll be starting med school and then God-knows-what after that. How could we have ever dreamed that we could have made this work? I can't bring you home with me, you have to finish here and then move on."  
"We could write to each other." He hadn't thought about saying it, it came deep from within his soul. A place where one can trust what was said and never had to think twice about it before speaking up.  
"We could, you're right." She was agreeing with him again, not a good sign. "But it would take an entire week for a letter to cross the Atlantic, followed by another week for correspondence, maybe more or maybe less depending on how busy we were and what we had to say, and then a whole week for it to cross over the ocean again. Three weeks, Fox, three weeks between letters at best. God knows what could happen in that time, who we could meet or how we could feel towards each other. Does that seem worth it to you?"  
Fox sighed knowing she was right; long distance correspondence is all well and good for friendships but absolute murder for relationships. Paper and pen were horrible substitutes for flesh and blood. He knew phone calls were out of the questions as well-they would either call each other too much or too little; having either nothing to say at all or too much to say for one phone call. Then there was the expense of the phone calls themselves, how could they ever manage?  
"I don't believe that this was meant to be. We could be the best of friends, greater than any other that I could ever find with anyone else, but I can't see us ever being more than that." Her voice was calm, too calm for it to be genuine. She was holding something back, it could have just been her tears or it could have been something deeper just below the surface.  
At this point Fox had several different ways of responding to chose from. He could have fallen to the floor on his hands and knees and beg her for her love, covering the flesh of her shapely feet with wet and tender kisses, and plead for her to take him as her lover. He could have acted as a gentleman, taken her hand and gently kissed it, pledging his unending loyalty and devotion to her as a friend, and _only_ a friend, then bow to her before bidding her good-night. He could have held firm his ground, argued with her that she was wrong and that what they have between them was something that no ocean could ever extinguish. Lastly, he could have collected her into his arms and revealed his true feelings for her in every gentle kiss and touch he could offer her; worship her with his mouth and pledge to continue to do so all the days of his life.  
There were his options: A, B, C, and D. He chose E, as in "embarrass;" it was a moderate combination of all four mixed in with a large portion of brutal honesty.  
"You don't believe that," he said. "And I refuse to believe you're right. Of course, your right and we can be great friends, and I promise you that I will always be your friend, Dana. I will always be there for you. I care for you more than anyone I have ever known; you have had such a profound effect on me ever since our first meeting. But to say that the two of us could never go beyond friendship, that the next steps are not meant for us to take together, I find it hard to believe."  
"How could it ever work out for either of us? Chicago is a world away from Oxford-"  
"This is stronger than simple geography, Dana, and you know it. You can't tell me that you haven't felt it too. I've been drawn to you ever since I first met you that night in the bar, your face has haunted me ever since. I can't close my eyes without seeing your face, and for the first time in so long I can't wait to go to sleep, I find it to be an absolute pleasure." His voice was soft and gentle.  
Dana was dumbstruck. There was so much sincerity in his eyes and in his voice, she could feel the tears building up again, but they were not borne of sorrow. She was deeply touched by his words, knowing of their value in truth.  
"You were meant to be here, Dana. We were meant to find each other." He said firmly. "I've never been more sure of that than anything else in my life, and if we give up now-"  
He fell silent, he had said his piece; he was now waiting for a reply. Nothing came right away. She was so stunned, he had surprised even himself. But he wasn't about to give up yet, another minute of silence and he was going to fall to her feet and beg for her love. His back-up was option A. He even moved his feet farther back behind his knees, readying himself to fall to the floor in an instant. He was about to go for it when her hands reached out and grabbed hold of his shoulders.  
The tears were falling freely now, she was speechless. He was still in semi-begging position; his body half off the mattress and ready to kneel at her feet. She was barefoot, a good sign if he was actually going to resort to begging. However, from the look of things at the moment, he may not have to beg after all. She pulled him closer to her, kissed the top of his head and forehead. Letting out a sweet little sigh, she was relieved someone was of sound mind.  
"I guess this means 'yes,'" he mumbled into her shoulder when she took him into an embrace.  
A tear rolled down her cheek and then slid down the back of his neck. "It certainly does," she said with a soft laugh.  
"Another second and I would have been on the floor begging you."  
A heavier, heartier laugh came from her this time. "I was wondering what you were doing with your feet." She kissed the back of neck tenderly.  
Fox laughed and lifted his head to gaze into her eyes. She was better now, happier to have heard those things at a time she needed to hear them most.  
"I don't know how we're going to make this work," Fox confessed to her. "But if it is meant to be, somehow we will find a way."  
"I know," she nodded. "It's just going to be so hard to explain this to my parents when I get home, not to mention my friends. Who in Chicago is going to believe I have a boyfriend in England?"  
"Boyfriend?" he smiled brightly. "The 'British Boyfriend' is what they'll call me."  
"No one will believe it." She shook her head. "I'm not even sure I will."  
"You can believe it. That is, if you'll have me."  
"I will."  
She held the sides of his face and pulled him forward to meet hers, their lips locked and their embrace tightened. _Now's a good time to try- out option D_, he thought to himself as he collected her into his arms. Recognizing that their passions had been aroused, Dana unlocked her lips from his and looked to the door.  
"You think it's wise to leave it like that?"  
Fox turned to look at the door and decided she was right. She slid out of his lap and he slowly approached the door. Looking down at the lock, which was very similar in design to the lock in his room, was staring back up at him. With one hand he easily reached down and locked it. He nodded with approval and turned back around to rejoin her on the bed. Dana suddenly leaped into his arms and replaced her lips on his. Fox took hold of her and held her tightly with one hand running from the middle of her back up into her mane of long auburn hair. They stood there for several moments locked in this tight embrace when Dana began to shift her weight, intentionally tipping him forward. Fox gave no resistance as they fell onto the bed with her happily pinned between him and the mattress.  
  
* * *  
  
Grace and Maggie dispelled the rumors that had already begun to fly around in the dorm about Fox and Phoebe's reunion. Several other residences that lived on the same floor as Fox had come to his room so that they may see for themselves; instead they were told the truth and returned to their rooms. The students were beginning to shut down for the evening, some were turning in and others were working on their assignments for the next day. Grace informed Fox's roommate that it was safe for him to return, that he would not have to be shut out for the evening nor would he have to worry about a return visit from Phoebe. He was pleased to hear the news, but was a little disturbed to find that all of his roommate's textbooks were gone.  
"He didn't throw any of mine out there, did he?" he looked at Maggie.  
"Damned if I know," she shrugged. "I wasn't here when he let 'em fly."  
It only took a small amount of effort to find them; they were still on the bed hidden under Fox's coat.  
"He can 'crack' his books all he wants," he said gruffly. "But mine are off limits until the semester is over."  
The two then headed back up to their own room, approaching the door carefully as not to interrupt them this time. Grace crept to the door first, putting and ear to the door before she made a reach for the knob.  
"Don't listen in on them." Maggie scolded her.  
"I'm just checking to see if we're okay to come in, I wouldn't want to disrupt them if they were arguing."  
"Or burst in while he was groveling." Maggie muttered. "Are they talking?"  
"I can't hear anything," Grace said perplexed. "I don't think they're even in there."  
She grabbed hold of the knob and twisted it to no avail. She looked over to Maggie and twisted the knob again.  
"What the hell?"  
"They're in there." Maggie chuckled to herself.  
"They locked the door!" Grace then slammed her fist on the door.  
"No, no, no, don't disturb them." Maggie rushed over and took hold of her wrist. "Let the two of them alone, they must be working through things in there."  
"In _our_ room?"  
"It's her room too for the week," Maggie pointed out. "Besides, it's not like we don't have a place to stay for the evening. Mary's roommate is still vacationing in Wales with her family this week, we can bunk with her for the night. And she's right down the hall so we can go back in the morning and get our things before class."  
Grace shifted her weight to one side and sighed when she looked back at the door. "What about our nightgowns?"  
"I'm sure Mary wouldn't mind lending something to us, just for the night."  
"What about our toothbrushes then?" Grace said quickly.  
"When do you ever brush your teeth, anyway?" Maggie snorted as she passed her and headed down the hall. "I am not going to interrupt whatever is going on in there to ask for your bloody _toothbrush!_"  
Grace caught up to Maggie down the hall. "Do you suppose there's really something going on in there?"  
"Why else would they lock the door?"  
  
* * *  
  
And thus concludes another chapter. A more serious chapter then the last, I know, but we can't have nonsensical silliness going on all the time now can we? I do apologize for the great length of time between my last update, but I do promise that the next will be up sooner and has in fact already been started. The end is near, only two or three more chapters left to this story. Thank you to all who have sent in the encouraging words in your reviews, I appreciate that so many are enjoying this story which is my first MSR set in an AU. I thank you and do ask that you give me your honest thoughts when reviewing this one, if you so chose to review it that is.  
  
Also a special thanks to Dana-Maru for liking this story so much and putting in a special request that I update as quickly as possible. Once again, my dear, I apologize for the lateness of my update.  
  
By the way. I did fix the spelling error that was in the previous update. My apologies for the misspelling, I'll be more careful in the future. My apologies again for the mistake and thanks to all of you who pointed it out to me. 


	7. A Locked Door and the Night Before

Title: "A Rather Strange First Encounter"  
  
Chapter 7 "A Locked Door and the Night Before"  
  
Author: Jerome Mullins  
  
Disclaimer, Summary and Rating: see previous chapters.  
  
Author's Notes: The morning after and the week coming to a close. It's getting harder and harder for Dana to ignore her plane ticket home. But before she leaves, here's some mindless AU MSR fluff.  
  
* * *  
  
Dana Scully snuggled into his side and draped an arm over him possessively. Fox Mulder was fast asleep lying on his right side facing her. The alarm clock behind him read 2:23 in the morning, she had been able to get a couple hours worth of sleep in before she had woken up a few minutes before. She wasn't sure how long he had been asleep but he hadn't moved since before she fell asleep. He had been reading to her when she nodded off to the soothing sound of his voice. She moved and felt a gentle weight restraining her from moving; she lifted the covers slightly to see that his arms were locked around her. She wasn't the only one feeling a bit possessive.  
She placed her palm on the side of his face and drew tiny circles over his cheek with her thumb. She leaned in and kissed his lips softly and he opened his eyes slightly and gave her a soft smile.  
"Let me guess, I'm late for my English class." He closed his eyes again.  
"Not unless your class started at two a.m.," she shook her head. "When does your first class start by the way?"  
"Nine," He yawned. "We've got plenty of time for more sleep." He snuggled closer to her, resting his head over her t-shirt covered breasts.  
"What are you studying in your class?"  
"Shakespeare's _Henry V_." He yawned again. "We're in Act III."  
"It's that the Saint Crispin's Day speech?"  
"No, that's later." He said sleepily. "Why the sudden interest in my class work?"  
"It's not your class work I'm interested in," she ran her fingers through his short brown hair. "I'm interested in you."  
Fox smiled and hugged her tighter. "Too bad, I thought you might be another Harry fan."  
"I'm familiar with the story, I haven't read it but I know that he makes a lot of great speeches. I've only read two Shakespearean plays."  
"Which ones?" his breathing was becoming deeper, he was drifting off to sleep again.  
"_Romeo and Juliet_ and _Othello_. Typical required reading for a high school English class."  
"Did you like them?" he asked softly.  
"I did," she nodded. "But something tells me that _Henry V_ is more interesting. Just like you." She kissed the top of his head.  
"You're a smooth one, I'll give you that." He smiled against the fabric of her t-shirt.  
"Did you have to memorize anything for your class? From the play I mean?" she rubbed the bare skin on his back as he continued to drift off to sleep, her lids too where becoming heavier and heavier.  
"Mmm," he replied. "At least ten lines from any character in the play."  
Dana rubbed the tiny hairs on the back of his neck with her nails as she closed her eyes. She kissed his shoulder and said, "Recite it to me?"  
"How do you know I have it memorized now?" he smiled. "We're not due to recite until final exams."  
"Just a feeling." She kissed him again. "You're hard working. Something tells me that you're an overachiever too."  
She was right; he did have his entire speech completely memorized. Knowing full well that he had gone above and beyond the requirements of the assignment, he couldn't resist memorizing all of the words to his favorite speech.  
He yawned before he began to recite in a deep, sleepy voice, "Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more or close the walls up with our English dead." he yawned again. "In peace there's nothing so becomes a man as modest stillness and humility. But when the blast of war blows in our ears, then imitate the actions of the tiger. Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood. Disguise fair nature for hard-favored rage." he voice trailed off as his drifted into a deep sleep.  
Dana smiled and hugged him more tightly which woke him and he continued from where he had left off without missing a beat, "Then lend the eye a terrible aspect, let it-" and he was out again.  
Dana decided to join him in slumber. It was almost five when they woke up again. This time it was Dana who was greeted by an alert and awake Fox.  
"Was the speech really that boring?" he asked with playful smile on his face.  
"Extremely." She reached up to kiss his lips. "Did you memorize that from all the book cracking you do?"  
"Don't be silly, I learned all that through osmosis. I would keep the book open to that speech under my pillow. I was able to learn the whole thing in my sleep in one week."  
Dana laughed hysterically. "You're a very strange man," she shook her head.  
"Would that make you a stranger woman since you decided to like me?"  
"_Decided?_" she scoffed. "I had no say in this what so ever, don't you believe in fate? Circumstances beyond our control with a force that drives each of us on a course of unpredictable outcomes in which everything that we do, everyone that we meet, have all been selected and predestined to affect us?"  
"As a science major and future doctor, I'm rather surprised that you believe in such things."  
"Well, to be honest, I don't. It just something that my sister keeps telling me about."  
Fox nodded. "I'm not sure about predestined arrangements in our lives, but I do believe there are reasons for things happening. There are sometimes when a coincidence feels a bit contrived."  
"Does our meeting feel that way to you?"  
"No." Fox shook his head. "No, but I do find it extremely fortunate that I've met you. I also find it somewhat hard to believe that I had to come all this way to England to fall in love with a beautiful woman who I would never have met back in the states."  
"Do you think it was fate?" Dana looked up to the ceiling.  
"I don't know," Fox shook his head and leaned closer to her and blazed a trail of kisses from the side of her neck down to her shoulder. "Whatever it is, it's the best thing that has ever happened to me."  
Dana leaned her mouth down to capture his and they locked themselves in a tight embrace.  
"What do we tell Grace and Maggie?" she asked between kisses. "They won't be leaving us alone."  
"We'll tell them nothing." Fox grunted as he kissed her neck.  
  
* * *  
  
Grace and Maggie, despite being excluded from their own room for the night, had a great time with their friends down the hall. They stayed up late, chatting and eating while watching television and movies into the early hours of the morning. After getting a few hours of sleep, they were able to slip into the bathroom to shower and prepare for the day. Clad only in borrowed bath robes and with towels wrapped around their heads, they ventured back to their dorm room. Before they reached the door, Fox come out of the room and gave Dana one more embrace and kiss before heading back to his own room.  
Dana seemed as if she were in a blissful trance as she watched him head down the hall to the stairwell. Grace immediately rushed to Dana and pushed her back into the room; Maggie followed them inside and quickly closed the door. The interrogation began. Questions spewed from both girls and hit Dana like machine-gun fire, she hardly had time to catch her breath much less answer each question as Grace and Maggie rattled them off.  
"What happened last night?"  
"What did you do?"  
"What did he say?"  
"What did _you_ say?"  
"Did you kiss?"  
"Are you back together?"  
"_Are_ you together?"  
"How was it?"  
"Did you know you've been here the entire night?"  
"Did both of you share a bed?"  
"This is going to get around campus quick."  
"By lunch Phoebe is going to find out."  
"How are you going to keep this up?"  
"Don't you have two more days?"  
"What time is your flight?"  
The questions kept coming at her until Dana could take no more and suddenly stopped her by holding up her hands, commanding their silence.  
"What happened last night, between Fox and I, will _remain_ between the two of us. What we did is nothing that you need to know about. We both said things that put everything into perspective and yes, we are together. I'm sorry that we kicked you out last night, but we needed to be alone. That's all I'm going to say about it. I wouldn't be surprised if word about this gets around quickly and Phoebe will probably know about this by breakfast and she'll just have to deal with this on her own. I know that time is short, and I do leave very soon, but I'm still here." Dana took a deep breath and looked at both of them calmly. "Anything else?"  
Grace and Maggie looked at each other and then back to Dana.  
"You're right. This isn't any of our business."  
"Forgive us, Dana, but we just had to ask."  
"A lot of people will be talking about this you know."  
"Even last night they were talking about this."  
"Fox's roommate came up looking for him too."  
"They're probably hassling him about it right now down stairs."  
"I know-I know," Dana calmed them to silence again. "But this is really between Fox and me, and there's nothing more that either of us are going to say."  
Grace nodded and moved to the closet and pulled out an outfit to wear. Maggie too went on with her morning ritual of hunting for clean clothing to wear and they seemed to have completely dropped the subject.  
Dana was pleased with the idea that her privacy was going to be respected and she gathered some things to take with her to the showers. She was almost out the door when Grace looked over her shoulder.  
  
"Wore you out, didn't he?"  
Dana sighed angrily and ignored her as she walked out of the room.  
Maggie giggled slightly and continued to get dressed.  
  
When the three of them headed down to breakfast, Dana could immediately hear the whispers and feel the eyes upon her. She was starting to feel a bit self-conscious at all the stares and whispers. Fox was already at a table and reading through one of his retrieved textbooks. The cover was mud stained and appeared as if he had made some attempt at cleaning it. She smiled to herself and quickened pace. She reached the table before the others and bent down to make contact with his lips just as he was raising his head. He was surprised at first but instantly accepted the affectionate embrace and pulled her closer. They released and the entire dining hall erupted into a sea of applause. Grace and Maggie reached the table and sat in front of the two of them.  
"They're happy to see that you're happy." Maggie smiled.  
"I'm sure," Fox said looking around. "I'm just waiting for Phoebe and her minions to arrive."  
"Minions?" Dana asked.  
"Dante's _Inferno_ reference. Phoebe's the devil incarnate and her cronies are members of the demonic legions from Hell." Maggie explained.  
"No, no," Fox corrected her. "Phoebe is the devil's plaything."  
"Speaking of playthings," Grace interjected. "Last night-"  
Maggie slapped the side of her arm quickly and Dana groaned.  
"No comment." Fox shook his head and looked over to Dana. "Has she been bugging you all morning?"  
"It's been like the Spanish Inquisition." Dana nodded. "Even after I told them that it's none of their business. They just won't leave me alone. I told you this would happen."  
"_I've_ been good." Maggie protested. "It's her that's being the pain in the ass."  
"You're dying of curiosity." Fox said as he ate a strip of bacon. "I can see it in your eyes. You're more desperate to know than Grace over there."  
"We'll stop if you tell us." Grace vowed.  
"There wouldn't be any reason to bug us if we told." Dana said.  
Maggie shook her head and said, "We could always bug you for details. But if you just told us one or two things about last night, I will promise to leave you alone."  
"No." Dana said strongly.  
Grace turned to Fox who shook his head.  
"No comment. Not without Dana's permission."  
"We could pry it out of you, both of you." Grace warned. "I'm an expert in torture."  
"You tickle people until they give up." Maggie said coarsely. "It's not that we mean you any disrespect, we're just curious. You know us."  
"Yes, I do." Fox nodded. "And as soon as we tell you, you'll spread it everywhere on campus."  
"What can we say for ourselves?" Grace shrugged and added proudly, "We're flirts."  
"Talk about me all you want, but what about Dana? She's going to be leaving for home soon and she'll have no way to defend herself." Fox slumped his shoulders at the mentioning of the fact that Dana would be leaving soon. "It wouldn't be fair." He concluded.  
Maggie leaned back in her chair and stared at them for a moment.  
"How are you going to handle Dana's return back home?"  
The discomfort was apparent on both of their faces and they were unable to give a straight answer. Grace and Maggie decided to leave them alone for a while as they ate and then separated to go to their classes.  
Fox and Dana walked hand in hand as they headed off to his English class. He was able to get her into the lecture without questions from the professor. Fox simply explained that she was from the States and was here for a college tour of Oxford. Fox lead her to a seat next to his and she was received warmly by Fox's classmates, although she recognized many of them as the whisperers from the dining hall. She could even hear a few of them behind her whisper about the both of them.  
For the first time Dana felt somewhat glad about returning home, she wouldn't have to deal with the student rumor-mill. Then she felt guilty for leaving Fox behind to deal with it by himself and that's when she noticed that he wasn't at all bothered. It was if he carried himself on a higher plain than those around him. Those whispers and stares were on a completely different frequency for his senses to detect. Fox Mulder didn't give a rat's ass about what others thought of him.  
And she loved him all the more for it.  
Following his example, Dana turned a deaf ear to the whispers around her and concentrated more and more on him.  
  
* * *  
  
The day slipped by too quickly. Fox took her along to all of his classes, each of his professors gave her a warm and receptive welcome into the class as well as a stern and disappointed look upon viewing the state of Fox's textbook. It wasn't until they reached his psychology class when one of his professors finally mentioned something.  
"Fox? Your book seems a bit more. _muddier_ since last class."  
Fox looked down to it and nodded, "It certainly does. Muddier." He agreed.  
"I see," the professor nodded and then leaned in closer to him. "_Cracking_ the books or _flying_ them?"  
"Does it matter?" Fox paused and cleared his throat, "Do you really want to know?"  
His professor thought a moment and examined the textbook closer, he looked over to Dana's bright and cheerful face, it was obvious she was suppressing a fit of laughter, and he shook his head.  
"No. I don't think I want to know."  
Fox nodded and lead Dana to his seat. Dana giggled slightly and quieted down, suppressing it until it became too painful and she had to laugh out loud.  
"I must remember to take this tradition back home with me." She whispered to him.  
"I'm sure you'll find it useful in med school."  
"Yes, but I might have to keep all of my textbooks for a while. I might be forced to actually keep good care of them."  
"No one can force you to respect and care for a book. Like Confucius said, 'If book is to fly, it is to fly. But if book is to be kept, keep it away from Fox Mulder.'"  
"Confucius, huh?"  
"It was one of the last things he said." Fox nodded.  
  
After class they were able to meet with Grace and Maggie for lunch at the tavern before heading to their last class of the day, Properties of Physics.  
Fox had warned her that this was an upper class Physics course, but Dana simply smiled and hugged on to his arm tighter. She just wanted to be near him, she wasn't expecting to take the final exam.  
The lecture hall was a large auditorium with four doors to enter and exit. Two of them were at the front of the auditorium which lead into the class room which was arranged in a theater-style with a steep slope which housed fourteen rows of twenty seats, each with an aisle to the right or left of the row. At the bottom of the slope, the class leveled off where a large oak podium stood along side of a matching table. Behind them was a giant blackboard and two more entrances to the right and left. Dana was instantly reminded of her high school auditorium upon seeing the layout of the lecture hall.  
The four of them chose to sit in the middle of the class, a spot suggested by Grace who claimed the professor, a highly intelligent, extreme charismatic and likable man with a Ph. D., was less likely to call on them. Around them the seats began to be filled with more and more students and it was then that she entered from the right bottom entrance.  
Fox had been flipping through his notes from the previous chapter and passed his homework assignment towards the side aisle when Dana first saw her. She had never met her, nor gotten a clear look at her, but she knew. She could tell by the smug exterior and cold features that this was Phoebe Green.  
Dana wasn't even sure Fox knew she was there until he turned and suddenly dropped his pen from his hand as he stared forward. Dana looked over to him and could have sworn that his face drained of all color.  
"Is that her?" she asked already knowing full well who it was.  
"Yeah," he nodded and swallowed deeply. "That's her. That's Phoebe."  
"Not much to look at, is she?" Grace leaned over Fox and whispered to Dana. "She's a cold hearted bitch, but when you first meet her, you could swear that she's the nicest woman you'll ever meet."  
Dana eyed her closely and watched as she scanned through the crowd and then laid eyes of Fox. He sat back in his chair and glared back at her, there was no fear in his face now, just pure anger. Phoebes' eyes continued to wander and then landed upon the young red-haired woman sitting to his right. She stared coldly back at her and their eyes locked. Phoebe smiled smugly and walked to the aisle and took a seat two rows in front of them to Dana's far right. Her eyes never once left Dana's; she was doing everything that she could to intimidate her. She would be watching them very closely through the entire class.  
"You used to kiss _that_?" Dana said lightly, easing the tension. "What were you? Drunk?"  
Fox smiled slightly, "She's extremely deceptive. On a good day I could say she was almost as sweet as you." Dana looked tenderly at him for a moment. "Almost."  
Dana nodded and turned back to watch Phoebe who was still looking in their direction.  
"I trusted her, I even gave her my heart. She took it and threw it away as if it were nothing. Until yesterday, I didn't think I could ever trust anyone ever again."  
"What happened yesterday?" Dana said with her eyes still on Phoebe.  
Fox gently placed a palm on his soft cheek and turned her head to meet his eyes.  
"Yesterday, I met the most wonderful woman in the world. And I fell deeply in love with her."  
Dana blushed at her forgetfulness and they kissed each other softly.  
One of the bottom doors opened and the professor, Dr. Henry Blackner, entered the auditorium carrying a faded brown leather satchel and a large smile on his face.  
"Good afternoon everyvone," he said cheerfully with a husky Austrian accent. "I trust everyvone is having a good day and that your homevork assignment is complete. If you vould be so kind as to pass it tovards se aisles."  
His easy nature seemed to spread through the whole class and his smile was contagious. Dana leaned closer to Fox and asked, "Who's that?"  
"Dr. Blackner, he's originally from Austria. Extremely bright, he teaches mostly graduate classes in chemistry and physics. He's teaching here for the semester for Dr. Kindle while she's out on maternity leave."  
"Isn't his accent hysterical?" Grace asked quickly.  
After collecting the homework that was waiting at the end of each aisle, he took out his textbook from his satchel and opened it on the podium before him.  
"Ve left off vith our discussion vith motion last class and ve are no- w _moving_ on." He paused for the brief laughter from the students before he continued. "Today ve shall revie-w your reading assignment on New-ton's La-w of Motion."  
The class began with a few brief readings from the book and then a few notes on the blackboard.  
"And vhat is se first la-w Sir Isaac New-ton states on motion in se _Principia_?"  
A student's hand caught Blackner's eye and he nodded to them to answer.  
"'Every body perseveres in its state of rest of uniform motion in a straight line unless it is compelled to change that state by forces impressed thereon.'"  
"Excellent job of quvoting from se book," the class laughed. "Vhat das it mean?"  
There was silence for a bit before Maggie raised her hand.  
"It means that an object perseveres, or remains, in a state of rest or uniformed speed until it is changed by an outside force. Whether it is a planet or a car."  
"Interesting examples you have sere," Blackner smiled. "Vhy did you chose a planet and unt automobile?"  
"Because a car is not in a constant state of motion, it stops and remains at rest until someone turns on the engine and drives away. A planet is in constant movement around the sun, it's a uniformed movement that doesn't change."  
"Vill it change? Ever?" Blackner asked out loud. "Not unless se planet is knocked off its orbit, ya? In dat case, look out, especially if it's sis one, ya?" More laughter from the students. "But it is interesting szat you bring up se planets. Vhy? Because in sis la-w, New-ton is se first to recognize se importance of a concept Galileo introduced long before, se concept is known as inertia." Blackner wrote it on the board. "Vhat das it mean?"  
Silence from the class and then Phoebe raised her hand.  
"It's the tendency of an object to resist the change in its motion."  
"Another fine quvoting from se book. Vhat's it mean?" he looked around and then settled on Dana. "You, se red-haired fraüleine sitting next to Herr Mulder."  
Fox moved to lean forward and explain that she was just a visiting student when Dana suddenly answered back without hesitation.  
"It means that any object, whether it is an atom, a car or a planet, carries on in a state of rest or uniformed motion, just as Newton says. But the difference is that these objects naturally resist a change in their current state of motion."  
"Examples?" Blackner, along with Fox, Grace and Maggie were clearly impressed.  
"Take a planet and a 10-ton truck for example. It is harder to slow down an entire planet while in its orbit and bring it to a complete stop than it is to stop a 10-ton truck. Easier still is stopping a small car than that 10-ton truck. The planet has a greater inertia than the truck and the truck has greater inertia than the small car."  
"Vonderbar." Blackner nodded. "Can anyone give another example? Herr Mulder?"  
Fox leaned back and laid his pen down on his notepad. "A bus or train. Passengers on board are going to be affected when the cabin comes to a halt or speeds off, it doesn't matter if they're sitting or standing."  
"Precisely." Blackner nodded. "Se car accelerates but it is not se passengers semselves hoo are accelerating, sey are in se state of rest vheser sey are sitting or standing still. But as sey are moving for-vard, se force of se accelerating car causes sem to be unbalanced and pushes sem to se rear. Vhat do you do sen? Let se force take you and push you all the vay back until you smoosh into se back of se car like se accordion?" the class laughed again. "Nine. You take hold of se strap or se pole, something to help allow you to accelerate along vith se car as it speeds along. You must balance yourself so you go along vith se ride, you cannot remain in a state of rest. If you did, vhat vould happen? You fall face first into the ground vhen se car comes to a sudden stop, ya? Same sing vhen turning right or left. How dos sis apply in se car crash?"  
Phoebe instantly shot up her hand before Dana could be called on again. "If a car crashes into a tree, the car immediately stops but the passengers continue forward."  
"Vhy do sey go for-vard?"  
Felling the competition between the two of them already starting to build, Dana instantly replied back, "Because the passengers have less inertia than the car, which has already been stopped, they push forward until a force stops them." Dana paused to look over to Phoebe. "Hopefully they were wearing seatbelts."  
It was Blackner's turn to laugh. "Vithout sem, sey fly right into vindow, ya? Messy." He shook his head. "In sis situation, vhich object has se greatest inertia?"  
"The car." Phoebe quickly shouted.  
A wave of disappointment washed over Blackners face. He shook his head and looked over to Dana who was able to give him the correct answer.  
"It would be the tree." Blackner pointed to her and nodded.  
Phoebe fiercely turned to face her with piercing eyes. "What?" she demanded harshly.  
"The tree has the greatest inertia. The car was stopped by the force of the tree, but the tree didn't move from its state of rest before or during the accident. The tree has the greatest inertia." Dana explained calmly. Competition over.  
"Excellent." Blackner nodded. "Hoo fitting it is for se brightest one here to not be a student in my class. You are visiting, ya?"  
"Yes, just for the week." Dana nodded shyly.  
"Vonderbar to have you here."  
Dana smiled brightly and Fox snaked his arm around her possessively and smiled brightly to the others around him.  
"That's _my_ girl." He said proudly.  
  
After class the four of them collected their notes and books and headed for the exit. Phoebe was already outside waiting for them when they came out into the cloudy and cold afternoon. Fox sighed heavily when he saw her first and looked over to Dana.  
"Just walk on by, let her say whatever she needs to. Don't listen."  
"Don't add fuel to the fire," Grace agreed with him. "She's failing anyway."  
"This was actually the first class she's attended in two weeks. Dr. Blackner's sure to fail her, you did good showing her up like that." Maggie winked at her.  
"Hopefully she's not a Physics major." Dana smiled.  
"Criminal Justice," Fox rolled his eyes. "She's been applying to enter Scotland Yard after she finishes here. She's been turned down three times already because of her academics."  
"If she keeps missing class, how does she except to get into Scotland Yard?" Dana asked.  
Fox paused and blushed slightly, "Let's put it this way, she very morally _corrupt_." He winked at her.  
Dana snorted slightly. "I'm not at all surprised."  
They walked past Phoebe, a steady pace, expecting her to start with her verbal abuse at any moment; but there was nothing but silence. It was so strange to all of them, but Phoebe said nothing. Fox could tell from the look in her eyes that she was far from finished, she would strike, but not yet.  
Fox decided that he would have to strike before she did. Dana had only one more day left before she flew back to the states. Why not give her one hell of a send-off?  
  
* * *  
  
Nearing the end now, only two more chapters (I think) to go now. The next chapter is something special I am writing for all of you who are like me and are very strong Phoebe Green haters. Make sure that you catch the next one which is already in the works.  
  
Thank you to all you reviewers who have been there since the beginning, I love reading your reviews and insight. The latter part of this chapter is based upon a suggestion one of you gave me, forgive me for not remembering who you are; the idea was the Dana comes to a class and shows off her advanced knowledge. I really liked the idea but then thought I could tie that in with a "show-down" of sorts with Phoebe, and what better way to have Dana get back at Phoebe than through public humiliation? The Physics class setting was different than the class suggested due to the fact that I wanted Fox present to witness the humiliation, plus I didn't have a decent anatomy book at hand.  
  
I should mention that all of the examples mentioned in the story came directly from my Physics textbook written by Henry O. Hooper and Peter Gwynne. Sirs, if you are reading this (probably not) I mean no offense in taking some of your words and examples. You should be proud to know that your textbook is one of my most frequent "flyers," next to Kessler's _Voices of Wisdom_.  
  
Also I should thank everyone who pointed out the spelling error in the last chapter. It has been corrected, thank you for telling me. 


	8. Final Strike and Taking Flight

Title: "A Rather Strange First Encounter"  
  
Chapter 8 "Final Strike and Taking Flight"  
  
Author: Jerome Mullins  
  
Disclaimer, Summary and Rating: see previous chapters.  
  
Author's Notes: It's near the end and Dana is heading back home. Fox takes her on one last adventure before she leaves. Not to be read by those who like Phoebe Green (that is, if such a person exists).  
  
**WARNING** This is a rather racy chapter that I've written here. I've thought of toning it down a bit for those of you who might be underage and reading this because I have posted this as a non-R rating story, but this chapter is more for adults. Be warned that you are going to read some things that little ones should not read. I did this for a specific purpose, the most public and cruelest humiliation of Phoebe Green ever. I really hate that character, does it show?  
  
* * *  
  
Fox Mulder reclined on top of Dana Scully's bed. She had been moving around the room for the past half-hour retrieving her clothing which had been "borrowed" without her permission by Grace and Maggie. Her plane ticket home was getting harder and harder to ignore with each passing hour. She was tired and a part of her wanted to go back home, she missed her mother and father. She missed her older sister. Hell, she'd even admit to missing her brothers. But as much as she missed them, she felt an even stronger compulsion to stay at Oxford. Her reason for staying was reclined on her bed and had been watching her intently as she readied herself for the trip back home.  
"I could always beg my parents for another week." She said without looking at him.  
"You would just be dragging this out longer, one week from now we would be right back here. You packing and me thinking of a way to make you stay."  
"So I'm not the only one who's working on a plan to get me to stay?"  
Fox shrugged, "I've been thinking about it for the last twenty-four hours. But you have to go back."  
Dana sat down on the bed and lied down next to him, draping her arm over his chest and burying her face into the side of his. She kissed his ear softly and he wrapped his arms around her to hold her in place.  
"You will write to me, won't you?"  
"Everyday." He promised as he took hold of one of her hands and kissed each finger. "I'll write everyday and then send each letter to you at the end of the week. That way you know everything of what's happening here."  
"I'll do the same." She closed her eyes and rested for a minute. "When do you come back home?"  
"Christmas."  
She groaned unhappily. "That so far away. Nine whole months."  
"I bet you if we work on it from now until you left, you can have a little present waiting for me in nine months." He drew tiny circles on her flat and lean stomach with his finger. The grin on his face gave away that he was only kidding.  
Dana slapped the side of his chest playfully. Had he been anyone else and she wouldn't have let a comment like that go, she might have even felt uncomfortable. But she was flattered that he was already thinking of a family life with her. Fox Mulder was allowed a great deal of liberties when it came to her, she allowed them all with no offense and no objection.  
She loved this man. She loved his laugh. She loved all his quirks, especially his obsession with abusing textbooks. She loved his sarcasm and quick wit. She loved his brilliance. She was completely in love with him and it was breaking her heart to leave him.  
"We can do this right?" she asked uncertainly. "We can keep this up without seeing each other until Christmas, right?"  
"Yes." Fox nodded confidently. The way he looked at her, all of Dana's fears had suddenly subsided and she felt foolish for doubting him. "This can work Dana, we were meant to be together. I'm sure of it."  
Dana nodded and kissed his lips.  
The moment was broken when Maggie knocked on the door and rushed into the room. She looked down to the floor, clearly sorry she had interrupted a private moment, but then looked back to them.  
"You two had better come and see this." She gestured to the hall behind them.  
"What is it?" Dana sat up in bed.  
"Phoebe."  
Fox sprang to his feet and followed Maggie out with Dana closely behind. Out in the hallway students were huddled together. The three of them pushed through the crowd and found Grace kneeling on the floor. She looked up to Dana and Fox and shook her head.  
"We're not sure when she did this. No one saw the one who brought them in, but I bet you anything it was her friends."  
There in front of the stairwell were two plastic inflatable dolls, one male and the other female, positioned in a grotesque pornographic position. Both figures were sans clothing and their faces had been drawn in black marker to resemble a rather passionate and enraptured look. On the side of the female, which was lying parallel to the floor, the words "Fox's Bitch" had been written in a bold black marker. "Fox" was written on the back of the male in the same hand.  
While even Fox and Dana found the prank extremely childish and funny, it was still a rather embarrassing sight. The students in the hallway began to laugh and gawk at the sight. Fox rubbed the side of his temples harshly. At first Dana thought it was from embarrassment but he was actually deep in thought. He then seemed to snap back into the present and instructed Dana to retrieve the instant camera from back in the dorm room.  
Acting quickly, Dana ran back to the room and grabbed the camera and took two pictures of the scene before the others collected up the blow-up sculptures. Fox and Grace took the dolls to the bathroom where they were able to clean off the marker but left the dolls fully inflated.  
"Why not just pop them? Throw them away?" Grace asked.  
"Because, they might come in handy later." Dana said as she fanned the drying one-step pictures. She looked to Fox who gave her a devilish wink, she was already well aware of what was on his mind and she wanted in.  
"She also might want them back," Fox quipped.  
After the display in class the day before, Fox had warned Dana that Phoebe would behave like a spoiled child and do something to get back at her. Never in his wildest dreams had he pictured Phoebe stooping to such a low form of revenge, but he did admit that the stunt had been unmistakably Phoebe in its childish style. After warning Dana that something would happen, he was able to easily convince her that action must be taken against her. But if she were to strike first, immediate retaliation must be done. And just as foreseen, their opportunity had arrived.  
Sensing there was a plot afoot, Maggie looked back and forth between the two of them curiously, already knowing full well that they had been scheming. "Is this something bad?"  
Fox nodded.  
"Something against Phoebe?" Grace asked.  
Dana nodded.  
"Can we help?" Maggie asked slowly.  
Both Fox and Dana nodded.  
  
* * *  
  
Phoebe Green arrived into the dining hall alone and took a seat next to one of the large and massive windows that opened out into the courtyard. She was feeling mighty proud of herself for what she had arranged in Fox's dorm. She heard many of the tenants whisper and talk about it, the news of the prank had spread rapidly across campus within a few hours. Phoebe didn't dare take open responsibility for it; it was enough for her to know that both Fox and Dana knew exactly who the exhibit had come from. She only hoped now that someone as young and ignorant as Dana would have learned her lesion.  
_It doesn't really matter,_ she thought to herself. _She's going home soon. Fox will be left all alone here and soon forget about her._  
She wouldn't have dared to presume that he would come crawling back to her, especially after the way he had acted the night before. He had been extremely rude, she was fairly certain that he was not going to come back to her. not right away at least.  
Along with feeling very proud of herself, she was also feeling very satisfied. She had been, once again, successful in having another encounter with her new beau. He was older than she was, true, but not by much. He was a graduate student and spent a lot of time in classes and at work; she was only able to meet with him twice a week at most. But when they did get together, she would swear that the earth shook. This current object of her affection was the reason for her temporary uninterested in Fox Mulder. She could wait for him; she had someone else to keep her amused in the meantime.  
Today's encounter happened to bring them to the large student lounge on the first floor of her dorm building. Normally closed for students in the afternoons, the janitor had foolishly forgotten to lock it the hall when she and her playmate had the sudden urge to do something naughty. This time the grand pool table best suited their needs.  
Aside from this being the first time she had had sex in an open area, where the danger of discovery was much more prominent, they had been noisy. Several times they had to stop and hold their breath as they listened to footsteps approaching and then passing the door to the hall. She was sure that she would be found out; she had already been publicly humiliated by a high school girl, she was not going to allow it to happen again. Yet their passions lead them to continue. As they both reached their noisiest point, she momentarily did not care if she would be found out or not. Instead they carried on and then made a hasty retreat from the room.  
At the moment, she felt rather wicked. She had done two naughty things that day.  
As she quietly sat slurping her soup, she didn't seem to notice the odd sounds coming from the other side of the room. Not at first. There was a low groaning sound, more like a manly grunt. It was so low that no one in the cafeteria noticed at first. It could have easily been mistaken for a passing motor or the sounds of all the students in the dining hall talking all at once.  
The grunting got louder.  
Some of the students were taking notice now. The grunting was very controlled, not painful, more like a pleasant and passionate grunting. Some of the woman started to giggle, instantly recognizing what the sound could be. More students started to listen as the grunting got even louder and was now accompanied with a female counterpart.  
The whole dining hall was quiet now; the students had stopped their discussions and were intently listening to the phantom groans shared by a man and a woman. The womanly grunts then turned into squeals.  
Phoebe stopped eating and started to listen now.  
It was quite clear now that the sounds were of a man and a woman having very passionate and noisy sex. But where was it coming from? Who were these two phantom lovers?  
It wasn't until the woman started screaming and calling out dirty thoughts that Phoebe suddenly recognized that those were _her_ screams and that was _her_ voice.  
She frantically looked around the room, to see if anyone else had recognized her voice. The others were too distracted and were now looking around to find the source of the recorded lovers at play.  
Some students got up and wandered around the room, lifting up table cloths for a hidden tape recorder. It could be under any table or chair within the room. Phoebe joined them. Her identity had not yet been discovered. She was getting more and more nervous with each passing moment, her stomach growing tighter and tighter, her heart racing and thumping in her ear. She was terribly embarrassed. Panic rose within her and was getting stronger and stronger. Nausea had set in. Her face must have turned three different shades of red, each new one a darker and fuller hue than the previous shade.  
The noises were at their loudest now. Phoebe and the unidentified companion were clearly reaching climax as Phoebe's husky and short breathed voice spewed more and more dirty words. Several of the faculty members, who had been dining in the hall along with the students, had joined in the hunt of the origin of the charismatic and embarrassing recordings.  
The male voice then shouted out above the noise, his voice filling the entire dining hall, echoing and reverberating off the walls in the open dinning hall.  
"Oh. _Phoebe_!" he shouted.  
Her whole body tensed, all the muscles tightened in that very instant. Her face was a bright crimson that covered everything from the tip of her head down below her neck line and beyond. She held her breath, for a moment all she could hear was the beating of her pulse in her ears. Then and enormous roar of laugher broke out all around her; she could see their laughing faces turn towards her and point. In that very instant they had put one and one together and could identify her voice, saying those horribly dirty and inappropriate things, from the unfound recording to her own. She felt as if the wooden floor had suddenly turned into wet cement, sucking her feet in and rising to the level of her ankles then instantly drying. She was stuck, she couldn't move. There was no safe place to make a hasty retreat, not this time.  
It got only worse when the discovery was finally made under one of the tables towards one of the exits. There the large tape recorder was found near the foot of one of the inflatable dolls, the very same dolls she had so successfully displayed for all to see in the dorm which Fox and Dana both shared. The male was in back facing forward towards the crowd. The female doll too was facing forward with her back up against the chest of the male doll. The female's face had been marked to appear that her eyes were closed and her mouth was wide open. She sat with her legs bent and pulled up close to her plastic breasts; the space between the inner thighs spread grotesquely apart, a position that would have revealed too much had the doll been made of flesh and blood.  
The male on the recording screamed out the name again and it was at this moment that Phoebe could see her name scrawled across the plastic flesh of the female dolls exposed upper torso.  
Collecting her strength, she commanded that her legs move and she slowly backed up from the scene as the laugher and taunting continued. She turned around to come face to face with Dr. Blackner, his face too was flushed and reddened but for a different reason, the man was laughing so hard that tears were trickling down his face. Phoebe then bolted from the dining hall and retreated towards her room. Leaving the pornographic scene and the boisterous laughter far behind.  
  
There was no one there at the residence hall and she was grateful to be left alone at such a vulnerable moment. That had to have been the worst and most embarrassing moment in her entire life. She took a deep breath as she climbed the stairs to her dorm on the third story. She was resolved not to cry, she was shaking too much to do anything else, but she wasn't going to cry. The humiliation was so great that she knew that she was never to be looked at the same the rest of her days at Oxford. She would have better luck putting in for a transfer than to ever find a way to earn the respect of her peers again. Not that she ever _had_ that respect to begin with.  
She finally came to her door when she noticed a small white index card taped to her door. She looked around, half-expecting the culprit to be there watching her.  
No one was there.  
She was alone.  
She took the note in hand and read it quickly, expecting that it would contain an admission of guilt or some kind of boastful confession for the humiliation she had just suffered in the dining hall. It was neither.  
"Phoebe, I thank you for your contributions to my stress relief experiments. I was deeply touched that you were willing to help me in this new endeavor. I'm pleased to hear that there are no hard feelings and I thank you again for your donations. Sincerely, F. Mulder."  
Phoebe read the note once. Then a second time. She stared at her front door and then back at the note.  
_Contributions?_ Phoebe was completely lost.  
The momentary confusion was enough to distract her while she opened the door to her room and turn on the lights. She was still re-reading the note while she closed the door. She then realized that the room was extremely cold. She looked over to find the windows open and the cold night air rushing in.  
It was then that she saw it.  
Her _walls_.  
All four of her walls were completely covered from ceiling to floor. Even her desk, bed and nightstand were completely covered. There was not a spot in the room that had not been covered by a piece of paper with the same six black and white cells on a page.  
A shaking hand reached over and took one of those pages from the top of her desk and saw that each of the six cells were black and white photo copies pictures. The first two were two different angles of the scene she had previously arranged to be displayed in their hallway earlier that afternoon. The next one was of her and a young man locked in a rather passionate embrace. The following two photographs were graphic pictures of the sexual encounter she and her new beau had shared in the student lounge just hours before.  
It suddenly flashed on Phoebe that the recording heard in the dining hall was of the two of them. She could have brought criminal charges against Fox and Dana, as well as their two helpers, had it not been for the last photograph. The picture was simply of the man she was currently seeing, except this picture was not like the others. The others had been taken with an instant camera. This picture had been removed from the current faculty registration book. The young man in the photograph was wearing a suit and tie and a pair of glasses. Underneath the picture was the printed name, "Professor Arthur J. Maxwell, Dean of Student Affairs."  
Phoebe's head slumped forward heavily, she was beat.  
Fox had won.  
Out of the corner of her eye she spotted something she hadn't before. The wall opposite her bed, which was also completely covered with these black and white photocopies, but in the middle, written in large, bold and red letters was the proud American phrase: "Don't tread on me." And it was signed, "Fox's Bitch."  
Phoebe closed her eyes; she was completely defeated by this elaborate scene. She walked over to the windows and shut them. Upon first seeing the windows open, she wondered whether or not she had closed them before leaving for the dining hall. She was sure now that they had been closed. Just one more present to add to this evening's never ending horror show.  
Beginning to clean up the room, she first removed all of the papers scattered on her desk and picked up the index card that Fox had left for her.  
Quickly looking back to her desk she realized that all of her textbooks were missing as well as all of her class notes, folders and homework. She gasped with sudden surprise. Could this night get any worse?  
  
* * *  
  
Fox and Dana sat snuggling together near a small pond miles away from the campus. He had taken the four of them out to dinner in celebration of a job well done. They had planted the recorder and the dolls in the dining hall, instructed Fox's roommate to gradually turn up the volume and then leave the hall once the recorder reach its maximum volume. Immediately after Phoebe had left to go to dinner, the four of them were able to sneak into her room with the key they had lifted from the dorm's RA. Fox knew that time was short as the recording was scheduled to go off a full half- hour after she went down to dinner. With that in mind the four of them worked quickly to cover all the walls as well as the fixtures and left the note for on the wall. Grace had then opened all the windows and they walked out the door where Fox left the note for her to find.  
Knowing full well that despite all their hard work and original plan to reap vengeance on their common enemy, they would not be able to witness it first hand. Although it was unfortunate, they decided that they could all easily live with the aftermath of the incident, piled into Fox's car and drove out to find a quite pub off the college campus where they could enjoy their last night together in peace.  
All of Phoebe's textbooks, notes and assignments lay at his feet in a sack he had brought with them. This was the most elaborate thing he had ever done since living on the campus at Oxford. He was quite proud of himself. He was even more proud of having done this with Dana's help. Now she sat close to him, hugging him close as they listened to the quiet sounds of the night.  
"She'll try to get us back for that." Grace said breaking the silence.  
"Maybe," Maggie shrugged. "But if she was paying close enough attention to those pictures, she knows that it could be a pretty messy scandal if it ever got out."  
"Would she get expelled for that?" Dana asked.  
"Definitely, she would also never be able to get into Scotland Yard. There would be no way they could take her." Fox chuckled devilishly.  
"I think you should report it to someone anyway, it's so vile." Grace shivered.  
Fox smiled, "I might want to hold onto this for a while."  
"How long have they been together?" Dana asked.  
"Not too long. He was one of the guys she had been seeing on the side when she was with me. I think they just met a little while before I left her." Fox sighed. "I was a fool to even think she was remotely human."  
"Consider this your chance to make amends," Dana kissed him.  
"How are you two going to keep this up? When you return to the States, I mean." Grace sat up.  
"We'll just have to take it one step at a time." Dana shrugged. "It won't be easy but what we have is stronger than what any ocean could divide."  
Dana gave Fox a squeeze after she quoted him.  
"Whoever told you that is a foolish dreamer," Maggie shook her head. "Get your head out of the clouds, Fox."  
"I think I'm right." Fox said firmly.  
"I think he is too." Dana agreed.  
"_Two_ dreamers," Grace sighed. "You're perfect for each other then."  
Silence again as they relaxed and listened to the night sounds. Dana kissed his cheek and picked up the sack full of Phoebe's books.  
"What are we to do with these?" she asked shuffling through them.  
"I was hoping," Fox sat up and took a few of the books out of the sack. "That maybe you and I could have one last flight together."  
Fox stood up and Dana smiled at him, she took his hand and allowed him to bring her to her feet. Grace and Maggie got up as well and they each took up a book. In the dark before them, they could hear the bullfrog croak and heard a splash of water. They knew that a watery mass was before them. No one seemed to move at first except for Fox who took a step back, wound his back tightly and then flung the book out in front of him. He waited for a moment and then heard a reassuring splash. The book had met a watery grave.  
He turned to Dana who instantly did the same and waited to hear the splash of water. He turned around to Grace and Maggie and gave them the proper instruction.  
"Just wind up and let 'em _fly_, ladies. It's easier than it looks."  
Maggie went first and let the Physics books go out into the pond, the following splash gave her positive feedback that she had done it correctly. Grace then was the next and heard the splash as well and felt proud of herself. Each reached in the sack to reload and fired off another round together in the dark.  
  
* * *  
  
Fox held Dana's hand as they stood at the departure gate at Heathrow Airport. Her heart had shattered. Grace and Maggie stood at a distance to the let the two of them say good-by privately. Their farewells had already been said.  
Dana dropped her bag and wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him closely. "I love you."  
"I love you too." He whispered back to her. "I'll come visit you at Christmas."  
She knew that he would keep his promise, she just wished that they could see each other sooner. Nine months was too far away. They hugged tighter and her flight was called to board. She pulled away slightly and kissed his lips.  
"You going to be okay?" he asked softly.  
"Not at first," she shook her head. "But I promise you, I will write to you. Everyday. Just like we said."  
"I know you will, I promise to do the same." He nodded.  
"Are you going to be okay?" she asked in a gentle and tender tone.  
"After a while," he nodded. "It will be all right. You'll see."  
"What about Phoebe?"  
"She's transferring, my roommate told me this morning. We have nothing to worry about."  
They approached the gate hand in hand. Dana was taking one more step closer to home.  
"Just one thing remains," he gestured to Grace and Maggie. "What do I tell them? About us, I mean. About that night."  
Dana laughed. "They still after you about it?" Fox shrugged. "You could always tell them the truth."  
"The truth is a good thing," he nodded, looking down to his shoes.  
"But it's still none of their business."  
"That's even better than telling them the truth."  
Dana leaned in and lifted his chin. She gave him one final kiss and embrace.  
"I love you, just remember that when you cross that ocean."  
Dana nodded, promising she would.  
They then let go of each other's hands and she walked to the boarding gate. Her ticket was handed over and she looked back at the three of them, one last wave and she was gone.  
Fox, Grace and Maggie moved over to the large window and watched the plane depart from the gate. They stood there for a long while until they saw her plane take off and head back towards America. Fox's heart sunk a little lower in his chest, he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to handle this.  
"She's gone." Maggie said softly.  
"Yes, she is." Fox nodded.  
"You can tell us now, right?" Grace said trying to brighten the mood.  
"Nothing happened that you need to know about." Fox said without looking at her, he was still watching the plane shrink into a tiny speck off in the distance.  
"You're still not talking, are you?" Grace shook her head.  
"It just wouldn't be fair, Dana's gone."  
"Being respectful of her feelings even in her absence," Maggie smiled. "Behold the last of a dying breed, a true life gentleman."  
"Do you find that so hard to believe? I'm not one to kiss and tell," Fox shook his head and looked over to them. "Not this one. This one's much more important to me."  
"How so?" Maggie asked.  
"Because she's different than anyone I have ever met. I want this one to last."  
"How can you do that when she's all the way across that ocean?" Grace asked softly.  
"I don't know," Fox shook his head and looked back out the window. "It will. I know it will."  
  
* * *  
  
Later that evening, Fox sat quietly in his room reading through his assignments and finishing one of his psychology papers. That same day he had also witnessed the departure of Phoebe Green who had dropped out for the rest of the semester. More accurately, she had been _expelled_ when some rather graphic photographs of herself and the now ex-Dean of Student Affairs had been turned into the Headmaster's office. The photos had been sent in a plain, unmarked envelope and the matter was quickly dealt with. Fox didn't even send his regrets or say good-by to her when she came into to see him that afternoon. He didn't even answer his door to let her in.  
A knock came from the door and Grace entered.  
"Finishing your work?"  
"Just this class, I'm moving onto English next." He nodded.  
"You might need this," she held out his copy of Shakespearean plays. "You left it in my room."  
Fox nodded. "Maggie already asleep?"  
"No," Grace shook her head. "She still has some work to do. Are we on for lunch tomorrow?"  
"Yes," Fox nodded and looked at his watch. "I'll meet you around one."  
Grace nodded and then left him alone to his work.  
Fox finished his paper and moved on to his reading assignment in _Henry V_. He picked up the book and flung it to the wall behind him; it hit the wall and he was surprised when something flew out of the book. The book itself landed to an open page in front of him on the desk. On the floor laid the foreign object that had been hiding in his book. He got up and moved over to pick up it up and found it was a picture. It was one of the pictures that Dana had taken of the two inflatable dolls. In the picture he could clearly see Phoebe's writings on both dolls; it was still a horrible and terribly funny thing to see. He then smiled as he read the note she had added to the picture:  
"See you at Christmas."  
  
* * *  
  
Only one more chapter left, the story's not through yet. Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter. Please feel free to review this one and stay tuned for the final chapter. 


	9. Christmas Expectations

Title: "A Rather Strange First Encounter"  
  
Chapter 9 "Christmas Expectations"  
  
Author: Jerome Mullins  
  
Disclaimer, Summary and Rating: See previous chapters.  
  
Author's Notes: It is Christmas time once again and Dana's looking forward to a special visit. The story concludes with some Christmas cheer and a few happy surprises.  
  
I should mention that the mentioning of _How the Grinch Stole Christmas_ is used without permission and in no way am I being paid for its use in my story. Please do not sue me.  
  
Just a general note: I began this story back on March 6, the anniversary of Mulder and Scully's first meeting and I am posting this final chapter on September 6, the ten year anniversary of the very first airing of the show. Amazing how time has flown.  
  
This chapter is dedicated to my wife and son as well as all our future children.  
  
And now without further delay.  
  
* * *  
  
"Nine months is too long," Dana said as she shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "We should have done this in the middle of the summer. It would have made this easier."  
Mrs. Scully smiled brightly. "All good things to those who wait." she recited the proverb without missing a beat.  
Dana looked coldly over to her mother and sneered. "It still doesn't make up for the fact that it has been nine months since we've been apart. Nine months, that's almost an eternity."  
"An eternity?" her mother chuckled heartily. "I remember saying that same thing to your father when I was carrying you."  
Dana rolled her eyes at the oncoming moment of maternal nostalgia she knew was brewing in her mother's mind.  
"I carried your brothers and sister for nine months," she shook her head. "I carried you for nine months. But you were the one that seemed to take the longest. You were the one I was really looking forward too," Mrs. Scully's right hand left the steering wheel and reached out to touch Dana's cheek gently.  
Dana didn't pull way from the caress, she accepted the touch gladly. It was only more recently that she and her mother had been able to communicate with each other in ways neither had been able to do in the years before. They were open with each other, told each other everything; Dana loved being honest with her mother and she could tell that her mother was enjoying the new relationship as well.  
"What are you going to do first? When you get home?"  
"Drag him under the mistletoe and kiss that beautiful mouth of his." Dana said without a moment's hesitation.  
"Don't neglect our guests," her mother said with another hearty chuckle.  
Dana shook her head, how could she have forgotten about the guests? They were all back at their new house in Baltimore. Her father and brothers had gladly volunteered to stay at the house and greet them as they arrived while she and her mother went on their way to Dulles International Airport for the eight o'clock arrival of the London flight. Dana's excitement was building as they closed the distance between them and the airport.  
Dana's spirit was already and an all time high; this was her favorite time of year and her Christmas cheer was heightened by the impending arrival of a dear friend, as well as a new life.  
She looked down to her swollen stomach and gently stroked her hands over the fabric protecting her unborn child. Boy or girl; she didn't care. The child was his. That was the only thing that mattered to her.  
She and her mother had left the house before the first guest arrived, most likely it would be their parish priest, Fr. McCue, or maybe Dana's Irish aunt, Olive. With her due date expected the week after Christmas, and the fact that the Christmas Eve traffic would be one solid wall of cars from Baltimore to Dulles, her mother had volunteered to make the trip with her. The last thing she wanted for her daughter to be alone if her contractions started days ahead of schedule, forcing her daughter to give birth to her grandchild in the middle of holiday traffic.  
Dana looked down at her watch, 7:55, and then back to her mother. She sighed and continued to watch the cars ahead of them move slowly into Washington, D. C.  
"We'll get there, maybe just a few minutes late." Her mother took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.  
"I know," Dana sighed heavily. "It's just been so long."  
"Nine months," Mrs. Scully nodded. "I know."  
"And I've _changed_, Mom," Dana looked over to her. "I mean, look at me."  
"Pregnancy does that, dear; especially in the ninth month."  
Dana shook her head and looked back at the traffic. She quietly thanked her mother for being calm; it made her feel like she had a foot in reality. But she longed to be with him. Her darling Fox Mulder was the only one who could firmly plant both of her feet in reality, making her feel as if there were no others but the two of them. She longed to look into his deep hazel eyes, see the love that sparked behind them and feel his lips upon hers.  
This ache for him had become more and more painful as the time passed.  
"Eight o'clock," she mumbled to herself.  
Her feet were tapping on the floor impatiently.  
"March." She sighed.  
Mrs. Scully was enjoying this side of Dana, she was always so together and orderly, always had "her duck in a row" as she used to tell her youngest daughter while she still had her red hair done up in pig tails. Dana was becoming unglued and it was all because of the man she loved. Mrs. Scully was thrilled that Dana had at last found someone who she knew showered her with love and adoration, she loved that her daughter was in love; she also loved that her daughter was expecting. She prayed that they would have many children together, she prayed for their future happiness together. But she also knew that it would be all too easy for the both of them, they were in love.  
The very moment Dana had stepped off that plane from her week's vacation abroad, her mood had changed for the better. She was floating happily on a cloud, she hadn't come down since. The fact that Fox Mulder had brought this change upon her daughter made her love Fox too, she was so happy to see her daughter happier than she had ever been.  
Up ahead the bright lights of the nation's capital pierced the night sky. Everywhere they looked they were surrounded by Christmas decorations and lights. Everyone was out there on the streets, smile after smile. There is no friendlier place to live than in a large city on the night before Christmas.  
The trip to Dulles was almost at an end, they could see the flights coming in now. They were little more than a mile away. Half a mile. Entering the parking lot. Out of the car. Approaching the front entrance. Heading toward the arrival gate.  
Dana looked down at her watch, 8:15, the flight from London had just landed but no one had come out of the gate yet. She stood next to her mother, shifting her weight from one foot to the next; the gate opened and the first class passengers were coming off now. Her excitement was building. Her heart was in her throat now.  
More people off the plane. No one she knew yet.  
Then-at last-a familiar face.  
Dana was spotted first. While she had changed greatly since March, her beauty still went uncontested by any other creature. No angel in Heaven looked as beautiful as she. Her pregnancy heightened her beauty and added a glow which made her look absolutely radiant and alive. A hand shot up from the crowd of passengers making their exit, it waved far above their heads and caught Dana's attention in an instant.  
She left her mother's side and moved closer to the on coming crowd, a gasp of breath and then a deep and welcoming laugh. They tightly embraced and exchanged a gentle kiss on the cheek. Dana was then pulled back slightly so a better view of her swollen stomach could be assessed.  
"My God," was the first reaction heard in a low and disbelieving voice. "How far along are you?"  
"Nine whole months, I'm due next week." Her radiance grew even brighter as she said it.  
"And you didn't tell us?" was the next reaction.  
"I wanted to surprise you," Dana shrugged playfully. "Merry Christmas."  
"I am going to kill that man," she shook her head with a laugh and gave Dana another hug.  
Maggie began laughing hysterically and pulled Dana in for another hug.  
"Two wasn't enough for you?" Grace continued to shake her head.  
"Never," Dana shook her head when Maggie let go of her. "Not for Fox and me. I hope we have three more before we're through."  
Maggie took hold of her friends' arm and was lead back to be greeted by Mrs. Scully.  
"Maggie, it's so wonderful that you could come. Dana's been talking about this for weeks." They hugged.  
"I can't tell you how happy I am to be here," Maggie smiled. "It's been three years since I've come back to the States."  
Mrs. Scully then gave a hug to Grace who gave an even brighter smile. "Any excuse to get away from London for a bit is fine by me," she looked around. "And where is the horny little devil? Don't tell me that he was too busy to come along with his wife and mother-in-law to pick up some old friends?"  
"He's working late," Dana said leading them to the baggage claim. "He said he has something to do that couldn't wait until after Christmas."  
"Working late?" Maggie paused, deeply surprised. "On Christmas Eve?"  
Dana shrugged, although she wouldn't come out and say it, she was a little hurt that he wasn't there with her. She knew that he had been looking forward to seeing Maggie and Grace too, she also respected the fact that he worked hard to provide for his family, but she was lonely without him.  
On their way back to Baltimore the three of them were able to catch up on the last nine months. Grace had finally been promoted at her job in downtown London where she worked for a magazine on interior design. No longer writing features, she had been given one of the top editing positions which came with a corner office two floors up from her previous office as well as her own monthly column, not to mention a handsome raise in pay. She was also happy to announce that she had found someone, a photographer named Aaron, whom she had met while on a buying excursion in Paris last June. They did not actually start to date until they ran into each other again while riding the tube the following August from Piccadilly Circus to Kenningston.  
Grace was now an official professor where she taught Psychology at Oxford University, she had been awarded tenure during the summer and started her first semester that August. The semester was over now for the Christmas break and she was happy to be away for a while. She also proudly announced her engagement to Thomas Anderson, an American stockbroker turned artist, whom she had started seeing the year before.  
As soon as the three of them started chatting, it was as if they had never been separated. Dana told them everything about the previous nine months; Fox's new position working for the FBI as a SAC in the Violent Crimes Unit. The job kept him at home more often, a wish come true for his wife and family. Meanwhile, Dana had been able to start the new semester teaching med-students at the University of Maryland where she had graduated, but had to take off the following month on maternity leave. Now she was days away from her due date and was overjoyed with the prospect of spending the holidays with her dearest friends and family.  
"And how are the children?" Maggie asked anxiously.  
"They are doing so well," Dana smiled brightly at the thought of her two angels. "William is getting so big now. I can't believe he'll be three in February. Katie's starting to walk, she's got that down. She's started talking too but she's quieter than Will, kind of shy. Wait until you see her, she's the spitting image of her father."  
William was undoubtedly his mother's little helper. He had his hands in everything she did from cleaning to cooking and even on the rare occasions she brought him along to her classes he was the teacher's little helper. He loved doing anything and everything with his mother; but she knew that her son adored his father. Katie too was her father's little princess. It seemed that neither of them could get enough of their father's attention, they loved to be around him and do things with him; Dana couldn't blame them, she couldn't get enough of her husband either. She still found herself rolling over to greet him in the mornings and stopping, just as she had done the morning after they were married, and staring at him, not even sure what she had done to deserve such a man as her husband. She was still in that dreamy phase of their marriage and it didn't look like she would be coming out of it any time soon.  
She was hopelessly in love with Fox Mulder, loved everything about him and loved everything about his children. One of her secret pleasures was watching him take care of them. He would feed Katie in the mornings and tie William's shoes and play with both of them as he got dressed and ready for work. Now they had a third on the way and she couldn't wait to see him or her, she was anxious to introduce their new child properly to her husband.  
"Do you know yet?" Maggie asked. "Whether this is a boy or a girl?"  
"No." Dana shook her head. "We decided that we could wait. I want it to be a surprise, just like the others, although Fox has decided to address our child as 'him.'"  
"Men and their legacies." Grace shook her head. "What if it's a girl?"  
"Then he'll have another princess to take care of." Dana smiled brightly. "He adores Katie, I'm sure he wouldn't mind having another little girl to shower affection on."  
"So how long are you going to wait after this one is born before you try for a fourth?" Grace blurted out, causing Maggie to hit the side of her arm.  
Dana just laughed. "We might wait a little while longer. I had just given birth to Katie about three months before I got pregnant again."  
"You weren't pregnant when you and Fox came out last March, were you?"  
"No," Dana said softly with an embarrassed smile across her lips. "I think it was when we got home, right after we arrived, when we made number three."  
Her face blushed at the mentioning of her little "homecoming" party she and Fox had after their brief visit to London to see their friends. Neither had been planning on anything when they arrived home, William and Katie were picked up from their grandparents and they had spent most of their energy on spending time with them that evening. However, the children had gone right off to bed after they were fed. As Dana explained it, it was "an unexpected burst of energy" that overtook both of them in the heat of the moment. Even better was learning that their "unexpected burst of energy" aided in the creation of another child. But no matter how surprised either was by the impending birth, both mother and father were thrilled to be having a third child to add to the family.  
Talk of Dana and Fox's children then lead to their wedding day. Grace and Maggie had both been made Matrons of Honor and stood with Dana at the alter on that cloudless mid-October day. This year, Fox and Dana had celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary. Dana was in Heaven and it showed. There was hardly a time in the past four years when Dana hadn't smiled, the only time her mother had seen her cry was during a long absence from her husband when a case he was working on had kept him from home for well over two weeks. He called her three times a day, but nothing had been able to cure Dana of her loneliness for him until his return home. But while they were able to talk about all the good in their relationship, they did talk about the bad; namely, Phoebe Green.  
"I'm a little disappointed that I haven't seen her name in the obituaries," Grace said. "She's still around, very much alive. Although I'm sure that could be argued."  
"Fox mentioned that she tried to get into Scotland Yard," Dana looked back at them.  
"She didn't make it." Maggie reassured her. "They admitted her into the training program, even with her scandals at Oxford, but that's as far as she got."  
"There were rumors that she was thrown out due to an affair with one of her instructors," Grace shrugged.  
"Any truth to that?" Dana asked hopefully.  
"None, I'm afraid. Not that anyone really cares about that sort of thing anymore since Prince Charles cheated on Diana and that business concerning your President Clinton. No one gives a thought about morals anymore." Grace shook her head.  
"You're unfortunately right," Mrs. Scully nodded.  
"Indeed, at times like these we can be thankful for the few remaining chivalrous men that are left in this world, namely your Fox." Grace smiled. "He's a good catch, you make sure to hold onto that one, or else Maggie here might try to land him."  
Maggie slapped her again and Dana just laughed.  
"I have no intention of letting him go," Dana shook her head. "Not now and certainly not ever."  
  
It never ceased to amaze Dana how long it would take to get anywhere in Washington, D. C. and how much less time it would take to return home, even when both directions were of equal length.  
It was a quarter to ten when they arrived back home and the Christmas party was in full swing. The cars of friends and relatives were stretched up and down the street in front of her parent's house. But the amount of cars was of no matter to Dana; she was distracted in her search for one car in particular. Almost instantly, sitting in the driveway, she spotted the car she had been looking for, her husband's dark green 2001 Chrysler.  
Walking by the car, she reached out to touch it with her hand, a brief physical connection with something that belonged to the man she adored. She then hurried to the door where her father greeted the four of them. Maggie and Grace were immediately welcomed into the warm house where Dana's father took their coats and introduced them to the party guests. He then greeted his wife with a long kiss under the mistletoe and wrapped his arms around his pregnant daughter in a bear hug.  
"Merry Christmas, Starbuck." He kissed her cheek.  
"Merry Christmas, Daddy." She kissed him back.  
"Now will you go give that husband of yours a kiss?" he took her coat and moved her towards the den. "He's been looking forward to seeing you all night."  
Dana's smile brightened and she shuffled through the guests, stopping to accept the holiday greetings and embraces from friends and family as they congratulated her on the impending birth. While she loved seeing all of them, and loved that her extra cheer heightened the holiday celebration, it seemed to take forever for her to reach her goal. At last she made it to the stairs which lead down into the den.  
She could hear the television playing _How the Grinch Stole Christmas_ and guessed that they were either watching a tape or the program was being aired for the umpteenth time since November on network television.  
A family tradition in the Scully household was to have a place for the children to stay during the night where they could eat dinner and watch the many holiday movies and television shows that were aired to death during the Christmas season. Every year someone in the family would be appointed to chaperone the dozens of children that showed up to the party and every year, since their marriage, Fox had always been happy to volunteer to spend the night with the children. He was a wonderful father and adored children, just one more thing Dana added to her list of "Things Fox Does that Drives Me Wild." She slowly came down the stairs to find them all gathered around the television. There were thirteen children there this year, the oldest couldn't have been older than nine, and sitting in the middle of them was her Fox.  
He looked like a big kid sitting on the floor in front of the television. His upper body was leaned back to rest on his bent elbows and his knees stuck up in the air while his feet were firmly planted on the floor, shoes off and pushed aside into some unseen corner. Lying with her head resting on his chest, eyes fixed to the image of the Grinch moving down the chimney, was their daughter Katie. William sat at his father's feet surrounded by his many cousins. His shoes too were missing and Dana noticed for the first time that he had inherited his father's feet.  
It appeared as if they had had quite a party down there. Plastic cups, plates and silverware were scattered about everywhere, crumpled and stained paper napkins blanketed the coffee table and floor. The candy dishes that had been filled with holiday colored treats, which she had set out personally just hours before, were reduced down to the slim pickings that were left. Children's Christmas books, among them _The Night Before Christmas_ and _Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer_, lay scattered about on the sofa where it appeared as if Fox had made some attempt at amusing the children by storytelling. However, the attempt had failed and Fox had reduced to "book cracking" to entertain the children. One book in particular appeared to have taken the brunt of the attacks, perhaps willingly giving up its once stiff spine to protect the other books from the same fate in a kind of self-sacrifice.  
She shook her head at the sight of her husband's blatant disregard for the author and publishers.  
Dana held back from the crowd, treasuring the priceless image of her children and their father together like this. In her mind she added the image of another child. A little boy curled in a ball, sleeping on his father's chest, or perhaps a little girl with dark brown hair, her mouth open as she drooled on her daddy's clean shirt. _Like mother, like daughter,_ she sighed. Dana's concentration was broken when the troop, and their leader, irrupted into laughter at the sight of Max "catching" the loot the Grinch had just snagged from the first Who-house and stuffed the goodies up the chimney. It was then that Dana's presence was noticed.  
"Mommy!" William called to his mother and stood, his arms outstretched for her to pick him up and hold him.  
A week away from her due date, the task of picking her own son up was a feat that she could only handle if Fox was the one doing the picking-up. Nevertheless, wanting to hold her son, Dana was able to kneel down on her knees and give her oldest child a bear hug and kiss the side of his face. Katie then left her father's side and approached her mother on balanced and quick feet, kissing and hugging her mother in an imitation of her big brother's affections. Kissing her children again, she looked to their father and her heart melted into a puddle of thumping love.  
Fox rolled onto his side and watched his two children hug and kiss their mother. Her face glowed with holiday cheer and motherhood. His eyes sparkled in the light given off by the Christmas tree in the corner behind her. He reached out for her hand. She came closer and took hold of it. He leaned up and met her lips, alleviating the trouble she would have in leaned down and meeting his. They kissed each other gently, chaste given the circumstances and their surroundings, and she put her hand on the side of his face. They were both fond of that particular embrace and he returned the gentle caress.  
Letting the kids go back to watching the movie, Fox moved closer to his wife and held her as they sat on the ground. Although there were thirteen other children present, a house packed with Christmas spirit and visitors and an unborn child resting in his/her mother's womb, they were alone at that very moment. They kissed, a little more adventurously this time, tongues dueling and hands moving over their clothed bodies. How he wished he could carry her upstairs to their bedroom, but not with all these people around, not yet. When they finally let go they sat in more comfortable positions closer to the Christmas tree.  
"Did you get your work done?" she asked.  
"I did," he nodded. "It's a shame I had to work today, but if I didn't get it done now, it would be waiting for me after Christmas."  
"No, no, Mr. Mulder. You have off these next two weeks, you're going to be here for your wife and unborn child." She tapped the side of his face with a finger. "You promised to be my slave, remember? That's my Christmas present this year."  
"Yeah," he said contemplatively. "I know that's what I _promised_."  
"You're not going back on your promise are you?" She shook her finger playfully. "You can't go back on your promises. You promised." She added with a giggle.  
"I would never do that," Fox said defensively with a bright smile. "I just think I might be able to do better."  
He reached behind her and took a small velvet navy blue box wrapped in a silver bow out from under the tree. He held it up to his face, stared at the box thoughtfully and brought it to his ear and shook it. "Santa came by earlier," he pouted his lips boyishly. "You missed him, but I made sure that he left something for you."  
Dana's eyes brightened.  
Coming down the stairs in front of them were her mother and father followed by Grace and Maggie. Mrs. Scully signaled them to be quiet as they watched the couple under the Christmas tree.  
"What is this?" she asked softly, surprised by the small gift.  
"It's a Christmas present." Fox said.  
"I know that," Dana snorted. "But I thought we agreed that we weren't going to do anything really big this year."  
"I know." he shrugged. "But I saw this back in a jewelry shop in London and I couldn't pass it up."  
"You got this when we were in London?" Dana's eyes widened even further. "You've been holding onto this for nine months?"  
"Sure have," Fox said proudly.  
"I got you a tie," she said in a low and embarrassed voice.  
Fox laughed and leaned in closer to her.  
"How can I ever thank-"  
He silenced her question with a kiss and a brilliant smile.  
"You already have," he replied softly as he touched her stomach, gently caressing his unborn child. "I actually owe this to you, three times over."  
"But how could we possibly afford this?"  
"You know all those hours I put in last year? Well, my Christmas bonus covered it but I didn't get it until after Christmas last year."  
"Yes, I remember that," Dana nodded. "They lost track of it or something."  
"Anyway, I decided to hold onto it for this year, to give you something perfect. But I had no idea how perfect it would be, especially with our little incoming buddle of joy," his hand gently moved over her ballooned stomach and he traced tiny circles on the fabric with his fingers.  
Her eyes were shinning with curiosity now. "Perfect?"  
"Open it." He said softly. "Keep in mind; I had no idea how perfect it would be."  
Without hesitation Dana slid off the elegant bow and opened the velvet box. Inside was a gold plated ring which housed three square diamonds. Her eyes beamed with delight at the very sight of it, her mouth dropped as she examined it under the light of the Christmas tree which made the shine ten times brighter.  
"Three diamonds, one for each child you have given me." He said leaning closer to her. He took the ring from the box and gently slid it on her right ring finger. "There's also plenty of room to add more when we need to."  
"More?" her voice was soft, distant. Shock had nailed her to the ceiling above them.  
"There's enough room for all the babies we're going to have." He said in a low voice, barely above a whisper. "A diamond for each one."  
She suddenly took hold of him, kissing him deeply and lovingly, not caring who was there to witness them. She giggled with delight and kissed him again. She pulled her hand back and admired the way it looked on her finger and gave him yet another kiss.  
After letting him go, she called the others to come and see. Her mother gasped at the sight of it, Maggie and Grace clearly envied her. Her father chuckled and patted Fox on the back.  
"Good choice, son." He nodded. He then joined his grandchildren as they watched the end of the show.  
Now finally able to greet Fox for the first time that evening, Grace and Maggie gave him a tight squeeze.  
"Pretty impressive there," Grace nodded. "Very pretty."  
"I think so. Just like her." Fox nodded. "And just think, I earned enough money to buy that from all that book cracking I did in college."  
Maggie laughed hysterically and he gave her a wink. "You must remember to teach your children how to study properly when they go off to school."  
Fox nodded, "I hope you're teaching that to your students."  
Dana's mother kissed her daughter and then kissed her son-in-law's forehead before she and her husband went back to join the party.  
Grace headed back upstairs to refill her drink while William invited Maggie to stay for another movie. Instantly sensing that Maggie was a trusted spirit by her parents, Katie took a seat in her lap and William leaned his head up against her shoulder. Maggie smiled down at them and looked back over to Fox who winked at her again.  
Alone again, Dana kissed her husband and brought his ear close to her lips.  
"Merry Christmas, my love," and she kissed his ear.  
"Merry Christmas, Dana." He then touched her stomach again and felt their child shifted; an obvious movement of preparation for his/her upcoming debut. "We are going to have such a great New Year."  
  
* * *  
  
And it's done! Thank you to all who have been reviewing. I was really touched by all of you who genuinely enjoyed my work. Although this story is done, I do have more in the works and will be posting a brand new, one chapter story within the next few weeks.  
  
I would also like to thank my wife who is my soul mate, number one beta reader, best friend, and muse. Thank you my love, for our son and for all our future children. six, right? 


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